President Donald Trump’s decision to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals is about to wreak havoc on the city of New York. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is calling him out for it.
Trump’s decision to watch the New York Knicks play the San Antonio Spurs in-person at Madison Square Garden is forcing strict security measures not only in the arena, but in the surrounding parts of the city.
The NYPD has shut down every sidewalk and street from West 30th Street to West 35th Street between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue in a move that will halt all pedestrian and vehicle traffic in a central artery in Midtown Manhattan beginning at 4:00pm ET.
Now, not only will it be tougher to get to Madison Square Garden, but this NYPD security measure has already led to the cancellation of Knicks watch parties outside the arena and could lead to reduced traffic and business for the hundreds of local bars and restaurants in the vicinity.
Trump’s decision has already led to anger from Knicks fans who are already shelling out tens of thousands of dollars to attend their team’s most anticipated game in decades.
Count Smith among those fans. The pundit let loose on Trump on ‘First Take’ on Monday morning: ‘This president has no business showing up in New York City. I am dead serious. It is selfish, it is narcissistic, it is ridiculous that he is coming to this game.
Knicks fan Stephen A. Smith was irate with President Trump’s choice to attend the NBA Finals
Trump’s decision has led the NYPD and Secret Service to shut down multiple blocks in midtown Manhattan – greatly disrupting traffic and business in the center of New York City
Trump’s attendance at the game has received plenty of backlash from Knicks fans
‘I would say the same thing if it were Obama, George W., Clinton. I don’t give a damn, we went back to Reagan.
‘This is not a football stadium in some space in Texas where you got a whole bunch of outlays and all of this. This is the Garden. This is Midtown Manhattan. You have any idea what the congestion is going to be like in New York City here?
‘I get off my radio show at 3 o’clock. I’ve been instructed that I got to go straight to the Garden for an 8:30 game. Because that’s how bad traffic is going to be.’
Smith continued his rant against the President’s decision by saying that if the Knicks lose tonight and break their 13-game winning streak, that Trump is the one to blame.
‘Anything that disrupts it, if it causes the New York Knicks to lose, I’m blaming him. I’m blaming the president of the United States. I’mma stay on that. I’mma stay on that.
‘And damn it, I hope the GOP lose votes because of it. If we lose tonight, I’m going to be against them all. All of them. I’m telling you that right now. We better not lose tonight’s game. We better not lose tonight’s game.
‘You understand what I’m saying? We better— I’ve been, I’ve been fair-minded, down the middle as an independent for a long time. Hell hath no fury like Stephen A. scorned if the New York Knicks lose tonight. I’mma be in their ass like back pockets, like white on rice. I’m telling you that right now.
‘We better not lose tonight’s game. We were riding, we were flowing, and this man gonna sit up there and show up to the Garden tonight. I mean, you gotta be kidding me. You got people gotta show up 4 or 5 hours before the damn game.’
