‘Sore Losing!’ Stephen A. Smith Trashes Ohio State Players for Starting Brawl With Michigan Over Flag Planting

Stephen A. Smith blamed Ohio State players for the brawl that took place after the team’s upset loss to Michigan on Saturday.

The brawl started when Michigan players attempted to plant their flag on Ohio State’s field after the win. Noticing what was going on, multiple Ohio State players rushed over to disrupt the celebration. This only escalated tensions as players began wrestling and throwing punches at one another. When police got involved to try to break up the brawl, multiple players were pepper-sprayed.

While Smith did criticize Michigan coach Sherrone Moore for taunting fans after the game, he placed more blame on the Buckeyes for the way they reacted to the loss.

“My whole point is this: if you really, really wanna prevent flag planting, why don’t you win?” Smith said on Monday’s episode of First Take. “How about winning? Ohio State, you had all those minutes to fight on the football field. You lost!”

First Take host Molly Qerim agreed, asking why the act of flag planting is viewed as “so disrespectful.”

“Why is it that big of a deal?” she added.

Smith argued that it was indeed disrespectful; but Ohio State should have won the game if they wanted to avoid that disrespect.

“It is disrespectful, but the point is if you really want to prevent it, win!” Smith said. “When you lose and then you wanna

fight — well, wait a minute, you had 60 minutes to fight. You didn’t do it well enough at that particular moment in time, so I don’t wanna hear all of that. That’s what I think really, really needs to come out of this. You see people taunting; you see people talking smack to one another. It might not be ideal. I’m not condoning the flag planting, per se, but I don’t think it’s the crime that [Clemson coach Dabo Swinney] tried to articulate it as being.

“I think the real issue is sore losing! You had 60 minutes to handle your business and you didn’t get it done. Well, guess what? Maybe that will motivate you to get on the field next time and make sure the team is in no position to flag plant because you handled your business and you beat them! That is what I’m saying.”

Watch the clip above via ESPN.