Georgia football: Chicago reporter mocks Roquan Smith for being a victim

Georgia football linebacker Roquan Smith recently had items stolen from his vehicle. Athens-Clarke County Police retrieved the items on Wednesday.

Move over Skip Bayless. Your position at the top of the dumbest “hot take” ladder was taken Wednesday by Chicago Tribune reporter Steve Rosenbloom. What did Rosenbloom say to earn such an illustrious distinction?

Where do I begin? In a recent Rosenblog column, Rosenbloom said former Georgia football star Roquan Smith’s vehicle break-in is the earliest the Chicago Bears have ever been embarrassed by a player.

He also pretty much accused Georgia of playing Smith by pointing out the make and model of his vehicle and some of the items inside that the thief ran off with. So we’ve got victim shamming and serious allegations that Georgia or Smith violated NCAA rules. He even made some jokes near the end.

Rosenbloom began his closing paragraphs saying, “does the NFL’s rookie seminar cover locking cars? Why would anyone leave something as important as a playbook in a car overnight? Asking for someone who looks like he needs a friend right now.”

First of all, accusing the team of paying Smith, or Smith of accepting money from someone is serious. That’s not something you say jokingly. You don’t cover Georgia athletics, you’re not on the UGA campus, or live in the city of Athens. Hell, you’ve probably never been in this general area for more than a day, two days tops.

You don’t know when he purchased his vehicle or any of the valuables inside. You’re just ignorant and that shows throughout your column.Smith is a player who never got in trouble in three years at Georgia. No crimes, no failed drug tests, no suspensions. Not one. Plus, he likely already signed endorsement deals and decided to spoil himself a little after the draft.

Second; victim shaming, really? Smith has items stolen out of his vehicle and you act like he’s the guilty party? Should he have locked his vehicle’s door? Yes, but forgetting to lock it happens. Although in the police report, Smith said he was certain that he locked the vehicle. So it’s possible that the culprit got into the vehicle a different way.

Regardless, to say, “it’s possible we’re looking at a new and exciting turn in pratfalls for Bears draft picks because it doesn’t sound as if Smith, the man the team and player himself describe as a leader, did everything right,” or to end your piece by saying, “To think, Smith was considered the “safe’’ pick,” is such a disgraceful and classless thing to say about a guy who had valuable, precious items taken from his vehicle.

Connor Riley of DawgNation said it best, “This is probably just the case of a writer needing something to write about and taking a bunch of unnecessary shots at the new big name to play for the Chicago Bears.”

Next: Georgia needs to make Atlanta their second home

Yeah, Rosenbloom, we get it, you’re a sports reporter for the Chicago Tribune. The Cubs and Fire aren’t doing too well, and the Bulls and Blackhawks aren’t in the playoffs. Chicago sports probably bored you. It’s not like you’re the crime reporter for the Tribune, that might have kept you busier.

Just know that you bypassed Skip Bayless, Colin Cowherd and Stephen A. Smith in the bad “hot take” power rankings for this week. I wonder what you’ll write or say to keep that top spot?