Stephen A. Smith does not care one iota about hockey.
Michael Kay, the voice of the Yankees and drive-time radio host for ESPN New York, joined Smith on ESPN’s “First Take” on Thursday.
Kay was posed the question as to which New York professional sports team would be the next one to win a championship, and he answered the Rangers, who are 35-17-9 this season and just acquired Patrick Kane from the Blackhawks.
“Oh Lord,” sighed Smith.
Host Molly Qerim informed Kay that “They don’t count!”
Smith said, as he has before, that “the only thing I know about hockey is that the puck is black and I love [NHL commissioner] Gary Bettman — that’s my buddy, who I always go to the hockey games with.”
ESPN is one of the NHL’s television partners along with TNT.
Qerim said that it was no disrespect to the Rangers or Kane but politely asked Kay to pick another team.
Kay responded by splitting the baby: “Yankees or the Mets — one of those two.”
Smith acted as though it was blasphemous for Kay, who has called Yankees games on TV or radio for over 30 years, to suggest that the Mets might hoist the World Series trophy before the Bombers.
The Mets, owned by Steve Cohen, the wealthiest owner in Major League Baseball, have had a torrid offseason.
They signed Justin Verlander to a two-year deal worth $86.7 million and Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga to a five-year, $75 million deal.
They also acquired pitcher Jose Quintana, reliever David Robertson and outfielder Tommy Pham.
The Mets furthermore retained outfielder Brandon Nimmo on an eight-year, $162 million deal plus closer Edwin Diaz for five years and a total of $102 million.
This season, the Mets and Yankees are both listed at +750 to win the World Series on BetMGM.