Deadspin HOF Nominee: Stephen A. Smith

It's fascinating to us, the long and strangely intricate association we've had with "Quite Frankly With Stephen A. Smith." It seems unusual mostly because just about every Web site we read has more viewers than the program.

It started innocently enough: Back when we were feeling fired up occasionally to actually leave the couch, we paid a visit to a taping of Stephen A.'s show, and we even got on the air. We thought we had a nice relationship; we thought we were in love, or at least had a chance at maybe a foot massage someday.

But wretched ratings and irrelevance are a bitter mistress, and next thing you knew, everything was going wrong for Stephen. The Nielsens were not kind — not even to the short-lived "Quite Frankly: Afterthoughts" spinoff, amazingly — and Stephe had his timeslot switched, was hilariously harassed about Cheese Doodles at the NBA Draft and practically begged people at Penn Station in New York to come to his show.

It was this last instance, when a staffer encouraged Cubs bloggers to come boo guest Dusty Baker, that pushed Stephen A. to spurn our affections once and for all. Baker cancelled his appearance, and for whatever reason (probably because he was LYING), Stephen A. blamed little ole us for the misstep. Later, faced with irrefutable evidence, he fessed up, but by then, the die was cast. As it is with Stephen A.'s show, which even he seems resigned to its cancellation: "I don't know [whether the show will make it to a second anniversary]. I don't know if I'm going to want to [continue]. ... For me it never has been about just being on TV. I'm about success." True. So damned true. Because you know what? EVERYTHING HE SAYS IS IMPORTANT!

But is he a Hall of Famer? Remember, 75 percent is the threshold. Vote below: Polls will be open until next Tuesday.

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