December 19, 2024 • 8 mins
Stephen A. Smith is a New York Times Bestselling Author, Executive Producer, host of ESPN's First Take, and co-host of NBA Countdown.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Now I want to get into a story I've seen
percolating in the headlines and social media, and that's about
Heisman Trophy winning Travis Hunter and it's fiance Leonna Lenae.
For some reason, these two young people feel the need
to hit the social media airwaves to defend their relationship
in front of the world. I really don't get this.
Leanna went to TikTok when they TikTok to explain why
(00:27):
she didn't stand when Travis was announced as the Heisman
Trophy winner. Take a look at this.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
When his name was called, I instantly was gonna if
you watch the video, you can see me like, but
his mom didn't get up, So I was like, oh,
maybe I don't get up. Maybe I just sit here
with her.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
So you sat there and then and then y'all said,
coach Pum had to tell me to get up.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
No he didn't.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
He said go get him, go get your man like
and once Travis stood up.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
But he didn't have to do that because I was
gonna do that anyway.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
As soon as I seen Travis get up, then I
thought it was agreed to stand up, greet him, congratulate him.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
But then there was a camera right in front.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Of Coach Prime, and I knew they were gonna film
that moment, and because of how people are online, I
was like, I don't want to be in that shot,
so I'm gonna sit down. So I try to sit
down so I'm not in the camera while I'm crying.
People are gonna go, oh, why she's why is she crying?
Like you know, stuff like that, And so I got
out of the camera purposefully so they can have their moment.
(01:26):
That's all it was. No one told me to stand up,
no one had to tell me to celebrate with him.
I was just sitting there crying. I wanted to take
it in myself too. I was super excited for him,
but I wanted the moment to be about him and
his family.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
What are you doing, Leanna, What are you doing?
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Well?
Speaker 1 (01:51):
I go any further on this subject, let me fully explain.
She also went on to explain actions following Colorado's last
home game, where fans wondered why she didn't see to
give him a hug, and then she explained the fans
why she didn't respond to Travis when he first tried
to holler via a DM. As for Travis, he also
went to social media on money to defend his fiance,
(02:12):
adding more fuel to this fire, Hunter, who swept all
of the major college football awards, including the Heisman, appeared
on the streaming platform Twitch that same day as Leanna.
He told fans she's been crying herself to sleep over
comments made by internet users. What are y'all doing? First
(02:36):
of all, Leanna, you are his lady. You are his fiance,
You are about to be his wife. Why are you
explaining to the world, why? How much you care about him?
Does he know that's all that matters? Are on camera?
(03:01):
Your voice cracking, tears feeling like seeming like they're on
a verge of streaming down, your face, completely upset over
these assertions pervading all over social media. You think that's
gonna shut people up. All it's going to do is
(03:22):
invite them to talk about you more. Why because you
find people soft squat and soft spot and you squeeze.
That's the cruel world we're living in. You gotta be
stronger than that. You gotta have alligator skin. You're a
young lady, a beautiful young lady who one with surmise,
(03:45):
completely loves some men and is looking forward to spending
the rest of your life with them. Congratulations, But it's
about him, not about what other people think about you.
With him. You got to learn that when you invite
people in your relationships, you're ultimately gonna invite them into
your marriage. You really really want that, you don't want that.
(04:09):
That's number one. The big issue I have is with
Travis Hunter. She's crying herself to sleep. What in God's
name would make you think that that's a good thing
to tell the world. Why would you do that? You
think they're gonna feel sorry for you? Think they're gonna
have compassion. You don't see these trolls out here, bruh.
(04:33):
You are an all world player and they gonna find
something to criticize you about. Just wait for it.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
It's coming.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
If it hasn't already.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Give it time.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
I tell you a few minutes. The people talking about
how she looks. I think she looks beautiful. I'm sure
you do too. I'm quite sure there's other people that
say in otherwise. They don't mean it. It's to get
at you. You could do better. Why you got to
be with her? Why can't you be with somebody else?
Blah blah blah. They gonna do all of that what
(05:06):
you're doing, What are you doing? Don't give in it
that you're about to go into the National Football League.
That's what you're about to do. You're about to get paid.
In my eyes, this should be your most selfish time.
(05:28):
You need to think about the people that you're involving
in your life. How close net they are, do they
keep things internal? They gonna go on social media and
express themselves. You don't need that. You ain't got time
for that nonsense. Try and get your paper, trying to
(05:50):
build your career, trying to be in the National Football
League brouh. You don't need to be coming home after
a hard day's work. Is a National Football League player
worried about what somebody got to say about you or
your girl, your fiance. You can't respond to that. You
just want the heisman and you on X talking about
(06:15):
how or or twitch or or whatever hell else you
were on talking about how she had to cry herself
to sleep. What in this world has told you? People
are gonna say, Oh, we're so cruel, we shouldn't have
done that to her. We're sorry. They ain't gonna do that.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
They ain't gonna do that.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
There's a lot of good decent people in this world, Travis.
But the ones who are the loudest, the ones who
are the most conspicuous, who illuminate the most.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Dan ain't shit.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
They wait for you to fall, Bro. They don't give
a damn about you. And in their eyes, your girl
is your weak spot because she showed her vulnerabilities. Don't
do it. Take it from your boy Stephen name, because
you know I'm rooting for you. First of all, I
(07:19):
think she's beautiful. I think you'all a beautiful couple. I
wish you nothing but the best. Secondly, you got prime.
Talk to your coach. That brother knows they came after
him too, and look at how he shined follow his lead. Last,
but not least, let me tell you something, Bro. Listen
(07:39):
to Cad Williams. You got fifty hater his mad manauhed
to be happy. You don't have one hundred two hundred,
five hundred alligator skin, bro, develop more of it. Let
it roll right off your chest because in most instances,
(08:00):
well in this world of wishing they were you, you
don't have to do what you did. She don't have
to do what she did. Being on social media holding
back tears, voice cracking and all of that, no, that
showed the world they could get to you. You don't
(08:22):
do that. You don't do that.
Now I want to get into a story I've seen
percolating in the headlines and social media, and that's about
Heisman Trophy winning Travis Hunter and it's fiance Leonna Lenae.
For some reason, these two young people feel the need
to hit the social media airwaves to defend their relationship
in front of the world. I really don't get this.
Leanna went to TikTok when they TikTok to explain why
(00:27):
she didn't stand when Travis was announced as the Heisman
Trophy winner. Take a look at this.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
When his name was called, I instantly was gonna if
you watch the video, you can see me like, but
his mom didn't get up, So I was like, oh,
maybe I don't get up. Maybe I just sit here
with her.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
So you sat there and then and then y'all said,
coach Pum had to tell me to get up.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
No he didn't.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
He said go get him, go get your man like
and once Travis stood up.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
But he didn't have to do that because I was
gonna do that anyway.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
As soon as I seen Travis get up, then I
thought it was agreed to stand up, greet him, congratulate him.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
But then there was a camera right in front.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Of Coach Prime, and I knew they were gonna film
that moment, and because of how people are online, I
was like, I don't want to be in that shot,
so I'm gonna sit down. So I try to sit
down so I'm not in the camera while I'm crying.
People are gonna go, oh, why she's why is she crying?
Like you know, stuff like that, And so I got
out of the camera purposefully so they can have their moment.
(01:26):
That's all it was. No one told me to stand up,
no one had to tell me to celebrate with him.
I was just sitting there crying. I wanted to take
it in myself too. I was super excited for him,
but I wanted the moment to be about him and
his family.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
What are you doing, Leanna, What are you doing?
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Well?
Speaker 1 (01:51):
I go any further on this subject, let me fully explain.
She also went on to explain actions following Colorado's last
home game, where fans wondered why she didn't see to
give him a hug, and then she explained the fans
why she didn't respond to Travis when he first tried
to holler via a DM. As for Travis, he also
went to social media on money to defend his fiance,
(02:12):
adding more fuel to this fire, Hunter, who swept all
of the major college football awards, including the Heisman, appeared
on the streaming platform Twitch that same day as Leanna.
He told fans she's been crying herself to sleep over
comments made by internet users. What are y'all doing? First
(02:36):
of all, Leanna, you are his lady. You are his fiance,
You are about to be his wife. Why are you
explaining to the world, why? How much you care about him?
Does he know that's all that matters? Are on camera?
(03:01):
Your voice cracking, tears feeling like seeming like they're on
a verge of streaming down, your face, completely upset over
these assertions pervading all over social media. You think that's
gonna shut people up. All it's going to do is
(03:22):
invite them to talk about you more. Why because you
find people soft squat and soft spot and you squeeze.
That's the cruel world we're living in. You gotta be
stronger than that. You gotta have alligator skin. You're a
young lady, a beautiful young lady who one with surmise,
(03:45):
completely loves some men and is looking forward to spending
the rest of your life with them. Congratulations, But it's
about him, not about what other people think about you.
With him. You got to learn that when you invite
people in your relationships, you're ultimately gonna invite them into
your marriage. You really really want that, you don't want that.
(04:09):
That's number one. The big issue I have is with
Travis Hunter. She's crying herself to sleep. What in God's
name would make you think that that's a good thing
to tell the world. Why would you do that? You
think they're gonna feel sorry for you? Think they're gonna
have compassion. You don't see these trolls out here, bruh.
(04:33):
You are an all world player and they gonna find
something to criticize you about. Just wait for it.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
It's coming.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
If it hasn't already.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Give it time.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
I tell you a few minutes. The people talking about
how she looks. I think she looks beautiful. I'm sure
you do too. I'm quite sure there's other people that
say in otherwise. They don't mean it. It's to get
at you. You could do better. Why you got to
be with her? Why can't you be with somebody else?
Blah blah blah. They gonna do all of that what
(05:06):
you're doing, What are you doing? Don't give in it
that you're about to go into the National Football League.
That's what you're about to do. You're about to get paid.
In my eyes, this should be your most selfish time.
(05:28):
You need to think about the people that you're involving
in your life. How close net they are, do they
keep things internal? They gonna go on social media and
express themselves. You don't need that. You ain't got time
for that nonsense. Try and get your paper, trying to
(05:50):
build your career, trying to be in the National Football
League brouh. You don't need to be coming home after
a hard day's work. Is a National Football League player
worried about what somebody got to say about you or
your girl, your fiance. You can't respond to that. You
just want the heisman and you on X talking about
(06:15):
how or or twitch or or whatever hell else you
were on talking about how she had to cry herself
to sleep. What in this world has told you? People
are gonna say, Oh, we're so cruel, we shouldn't have
done that to her. We're sorry. They ain't gonna do that.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
They ain't gonna do that.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
There's a lot of good decent people in this world, Travis.
But the ones who are the loudest, the ones who
are the most conspicuous, who illuminate the most.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Dan ain't shit.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
They wait for you to fall, Bro. They don't give
a damn about you. And in their eyes, your girl
is your weak spot because she showed her vulnerabilities. Don't
do it. Take it from your boy Stephen name, because
you know I'm rooting for you. First of all, I
(07:19):
think she's beautiful. I think you'all a beautiful couple. I
wish you nothing but the best. Secondly, you got prime.
Talk to your coach. That brother knows they came after
him too, and look at how he shined follow his lead. Last,
but not least, let me tell you something, Bro. Listen
(07:39):
to Cad Williams. You got fifty hater his mad manauhed
to be happy. You don't have one hundred two hundred,
five hundred alligator skin, bro, develop more of it. Let
it roll right off your chest because in most instances,
(08:00):
well in this world of wishing they were you, you
don't have to do what you did. She don't have
to do what she did. Being on social media holding
back tears, voice cracking and all of that, no, that
showed the world they could get to you. You don't
(08:22):
do that. You don't do that.
Host
Stephen A. Smith
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