Tag: Marty Smith

ESPN’s Marty Smith gives insight ahead of Florida-Kentucky

ESPN’s Marty Smith appeared on Sportscenter Saturday morning and stated his keys to the Florida and Kentucky game.

Kickoff between the Florida Gators and Kentucky Wildcats is hours away and the media experts have been giving their insight.

Sports writer Marty Smith of ESPN appeared on Saturday’s edition of SportsCenter and listed the keys to taking down the Gators.

“They have to stop Florida’s run,” Smith said. “They have two really good running backs in Trevor Etienne and Montrell Johnson, they do a great job. staying balanced.”

Smith also noted Gators quarterback Graham Mertz has been playing at a high level and referenced the ridiculous one-handed catch made by Ricky Pearsall last week against the Charlotte 49ers.

Smith has one significant note for Kentucky going into the early afternoon conference game: keeping control of the turnover margin.

“The biggest part of this game for Kentucky is they have to turn the football I have to I have to make Florida turn the football over,” Smith said. “The turnover margin is the most important metric in this game today, and Kentucky also really wants to make sure they stay balanced offensively.”

“This is going to be a great game,” Smith continued. Kentucky is looking to be 5-0 for the third time in the last several years under Mark Stoops, and people wrote Florida off after that loss to Utah in Week 1, don’t do that. They are physical and they are very good and very confident right now in Billy Napier.”

Billy Napier and Co. are ready are in Lexington, ready to take on Kentucky in a stout SEC matchup. Kickoff is slated for noon EDT and will broadcast on ESPN.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

‘They do have a ton of weapons offensively,’ Marty Smith is impressed by what he’s seen from Texas A&M

Marty Smith and SEC Nation will be live from College Station this weekend, but the college football analyst is already impressed by what he’s seen from the Aggies offense.

College football analyst Marty Smith will get an up-close look at Texas A&M when College Station serves as the host of SEC Nation this weekend. That’s not to say Smith isn’t already impressed by what he’s seen from the Aggies on the offensive side of the ball.

While appearing on Up to the SECond, Smith articulated how he’s been in awe of the weapons A&M has on offense. Namely, he’s been impressed by the play of quarterback Conner Weigman, who has played incredibly efficiently through the first three games of the season.

The kids these days tend to spotlight the star players by saying, “He is him!” For Smith, he kept it straightforward and to the point:

“They do have a ton of weapons offensively. You watch them on tape and it’s like ‘they got dudes!’ He (Weigman) has been so efficient and really making good decisions.”

Smith doubled down on A&M’s offensive potential by proclaiming that high levels of success could be in store, so long as the coaching staff continues to make the right decisions going forward:

“Again, we’ve said it from the jump. If Jimbo continues to kind of let Petrino run this thing the way that he sees fit, I think they have a great opportunity.”

The Aggies’ high-octane offense doesn’t just pass the eye test, the numbers back up the success that is brewing in College Station. The Maroon and White boast the third-highest-scoring offense in the SEC while scoring at a clip of 44.0 PPG. A&M is fifth in the SEC in total yards (467 YPG) and in passing yards (337.33 YPG).

Their offensive success has been exacerbated by Weigman’s poise in the pocket. The sophomore currently leads the SEC in QBR and is ranked second nationwide in the same category. So long as they stay healthy, it’s scary to imagine them reaching their fullest potential as the season rolls along.

A&M’s offense will face its next test on Saturday, Sep. 23 when they welcome Auburn to Kyle Field in what will be their first SEC matchup of the season.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee.

Texas A&M will make the Final Four according to one ESPN analyst’s bold prediction

One ESPN analyst boldly predicts that No. 7 Texas A&M will punch its ticket to this year’s Final Four in Houston.

No. 7 Texas A&M (25-9) is just hours away from their March Madness opening-round game versus No. 10 Penn State (22-13), but the Maroon and White already have the backing of one prominent sports analyst.

According to ESPN’s Marty Smith, a quick peak into the crystal ball has unveiled the four teams that will play for a national championship in Houston. Three of those teams may not be a shocker, but his pick out of the Midwest Region is a bold prediction.

Smith has No. 1 Alabama, No. 5 Duke, and No. 4 UCONN making it out of their respective regions.

As for his remaining Final Four selection? He’s going all-in on the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies.

Take a quick glance at the comments and you’ll find a common expression from a typical Aggies basketball cynic: “Is this the same A&M team that lost to Wofford earlier this season?”

The easy answer? Nope, this isn’t the same. This is an Aggies team that went 16-4 in their final 20 games with victories over Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, and Arkansas. This is an A&M team that finished second in the SEC and punched their ticket back to consecutive conference title games.

Don’t let that No. 7 seed fool you: this basketball team has the highest NET ranking (19) of all No. 7 seeds in this tournament while ranking 25th in KenPom and 17th in the final AP and USA TODAY Coaches polls.

Is Smith’s prediction of the A&M to the Final Four all that bold? Aggie fans know it isn’t, but it’s nice to see the larger public coming to grips with reality.

Be sure to catch the Aggies take on the Nittany Lions tonight at 8:55 p.m. CT, with the game airing on TBS.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee

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How to watch: Wisconsin vs. Wake Forest in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl

Late Wednesday morning, the Wisconsin Badgers will face off against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, N.C…

Late Wednesday morning, the Wisconsin Badgers will face off against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, N.C. This bowl game is not where many expected the Badgers to be at the end of this season, but it should still be a great game to watch.

Related: Five keys to a Wisconsin Badger victory in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl

Related: Wisconsin heavily favored over Wake Forest in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl per BetMGM

After finishing the regular season at 3-3, a win against Wake Forest could go a long way in improving the confidence of the Badgers going into next season. This is especially true for freshman quarterback Graham Mertz, who has struggled tremendously since his outstanding performances against Illinois and Michigan. Luckily, Mertz should have some of his offensive weapons back for this game including starting running back Jalen Berger.

Similar to Wisconsin, the Demon Deacons finished their season even at 4-4 and have not had a phenomenal year overall. Wake Forest has not beaten a single team with a winning record this season, and their most impressive effort came in a 59-53 loss to the No. 13 North Carolina Tar Heels.

Nov 14, 2020; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Sam Hartman (10) passes the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels linebackers Jeremiah Gemmel (44) and Chris Collins (17) defend in the third quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

It will be interesting to see how Wisconsin and Wake Forest, which have both had their fair share of struggles throughout this season, matchup in this game. A win and a strong outing from Graham Mertz would be a great way to enter the offseason for Wisconsin and could help the Badgers redeem this season.

How to watch Wisconsin in Duke’s Mayo Bowl against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

How to watch:

Matchup: Wisconsin Badgers vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Where: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.

When: Dec. 30, 2020 at 11 a.m. CST

Where to watch: ESPN

  • Announcers:
    • Play-by-Play: Taylor Zarzour
    • Analyst: Matt Stinchcomb
    • Sideline Reporter: Marty Smith

Where to stream: ESPN app or online at ESPN.com/Watch

Where to listen: Badger Sports Network on the TuneIn app, or Sirius 137 and XM 207

  • Announcers:
    • Play-by-Play: Matt Lepay
    • Analyst: Mike Lucas

ESPN’s Marty Smith names an Ohio State ‘celebrity’ fan as his favorite in college football

ESPN’s Marty Smith shared his favorite ‘celebrity’ fan with Ryan McGee and named an Ohio State staple you can see at every game.

I know this is going to ruffle some feathers. So-called “celebrity” fans can get under some people’s skin and are lauded by others. I remember being shocked by seeing Buck-I-Guy being asked for autographs during a national championship trophy display at a Wal-Mart back in 2015.

But hey, whatever works for some I guess.

It appears as though others are fond of Buck-I-Guy too, even real media celebrities themselves. In a quick and fun video, ESPN’s Marty Smith and Ryan McGee discuss the best and weirdest superfans in college football.

And yeah, Smith picked Buck-I-Guy as his favorite, but couldn’t remember what he was called.

“Man, there’s a guy in Columbus, Ohio who’s a huge Ohio State fan,” said Smith. “He dresses up really ornate every single game, and he drives this white Cadillac around. And I so wish I knew his Ohio State fan name. I looked it up quickly on the Interweb before we started here — I couldn’t find it.  But I’ve had great conversations with that guy in the past when I was covering the Buckeyes.

“In fact, I think I ran into him at a Taco Bell one time, I don’t know,” continued Smith. “But anyway, that’s my guy because if you are that committed — he’s head to toe dude. He wears a big white cowboy hat, he’s got the Bucknuts around his neck, he’s got like face paint, I think he has a mustache he paints red. There might be Ohio State fans blending together in my mind — I don’t know. But that’s who I’m going with.”

So, there you have it. If you feel like you’ve missed your target in life, it’s never too late to find some crazy, outlandish way to dress up, and bull your way onto television every Buckeye game and become a “celebrity” fan. Just remember, the bar is set high.

 

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion.

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ESPN’s Marty Smith delivers furious rant after noose found in Bubba Wallace’s garage

“I am so sorry that we even have to have this discussion tonight.”

On Sunday, NASCAR announced that a noose had been found in the garage stall belonging to Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. and his team at Talladega Superspeedway.

ESPN’s Marty Smith — who has been covering motorsports for the Worldwide Leader since 2006 — joined SportsCenter on Sunday night and was asked by Scott Van Pelt about the horrifying incident. Smith answered with an impassioned, furious rant:

“For a young man in Bubba Wallace, who has galvanized so many people because he was willing to stand up for something that is so long overdue, and NASCAR’s current management level, executive level agrees that it was time to take this stand, and somebody goes and does this,” he said. “You’re not just hurting one or two people, whomever you are. You’re hurting a whole lot of people who have made the decision that it is damn sure time to go be better, and it pisses me the hell off. And it pisses everybody else in the sport off who care, who care not only for Bubba, but for every single person that he is standing up for. And I am so sorry that we even have to have this discussion tonight.”

Watch the whole thing:

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ESPN’s Marty Smith shared an awesome moment with a local TV reporter after LSU-Alabama

So great.

ESPN’s Marty Smith is one of the better liked and respected reporters in the industry. He covered NASCAR for years before jumping into NFL and college football coverage, so few sports TV journalists know the everyday grind quite like Smith.

Following LSU’s win over Alabama on Saturday, Columbus, Ga., CBS affiliate WRBL reporter Jack Patterson was working on a taped recap from the field level and stumbled with his words during a take. Smith noticed Patterson’s frustration and approached the young reporter to offer some words of encouragement.

The result was an awesome moment of kindness that was all captured on video.

Smith told Patterson that he found those taped standup shots the toughest part of his job because he’d always try to be perfect.

Smith said:

“You wanna know the hardest part, the hardest part of our job is what you’re doing right now. The taped standup. Hate ’em. I hate ’em, man. Because if you’re live and you kind of mess up, whatever, you just keep on diggin. This thing — you wanna be just perfect. I can’t stand ’em.”

After the two took a photo together, Smith said:

“Keep plowing. You’re doing a good job.

Patterson’s reaction was particularly great. And as his clip went viral, he thanked Smith again and shared the photo.

Just as our Michelle Martinelli told me, “Marty Smith is nice.” He certainly backed it up in that exchange.

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