The only person at ESPN who can claim to know the New York Knicks better than Stephen A. Smith is Mike Breen, the network\u2019s top NBA announcer and the team\u2019s voice locally for MSG Networks.<\/p>\n
And as the Knicks sit among the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference for the first time this century, Smith is taking Breen to task for lowering the bar for management.<\/p>\n
During a recent broadcast (which was kicked off in shocking fashion by Breen\u2019s partner Walt Frazier<\/a>), Breen ribbed Knicks fans who believe the season would be \u201cdisappointing<\/a>\u201d if they do not make the Finals.<\/p>\n In a classic rant on Monday on First Take, Smith pushed back sharply on Breen, imploring the legendary announcer not to \u201cgive passes\u201d to Knicks brass by encouraging fans to lower their expectations. First, Smith showered Breen with love as \u201cone of the greatest voices in the history of sports,\u201d someone who is \u201cspecial\u201d to Smith as a New York native and Knicks diehard.<\/p>\n But then Smith set Breen straight.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope Burke Magnus is watching, I hope Jimmy Pitaro is watching, I hope Josh DiMaro, I hope Bob Iger is watching. I love this man Mike Breen. That\u2019s my guy. \u2018Bang!\u2019 I mean he\u2019s great,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWhat has happened to you? He\u2019s the voice of the New York Knicks on MSG since 1991 \u2026 you\u2019ve been there.\u201d<\/p>\n Stephen A. Smith rips ESPN colleague Mike Breen for \u201cblasphemous\u201d comments about where the Knicks were before Leon Rose became president of the team pic.twitter.com\/bWTiWnS0wa<\/a><\/p>\n