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Internet slams Tommy Tuberville's comparison of Marine commandant Eric Smith's long work hours to football coaching

Eric was hospitalized on October 29 after he suffered a reported medical emergency while running close to Marine Barracks Washington

WASHINGTON, DC: GOP Senator Tommy Tuberville has found himself in hot water after making an absurd comparison between football coaching and the lengthy work hours of Marine Commandant Eric Smith, who recently suffered an alleged heart attack.

The 58-year-old commandant general was hospitalized on Sunday, October 29 after he suffered a reported medical emergency while running close to Marine Barracks Washington.

While the agency did not provide any details on his health or the anticipated length of his hospital stay, two anonymous Marine officials who are acquainted with Smith's condition informed US Today that he reportedly had a heart attack.

Following his hospitalization, Senate Armed Services Chair Jack Reed contended that the commandant’s recent medical emergency may have resulted in part from Tommy Tuberville's hold on top military promotions, which has forced several officers to hold down multiple jobs.

According to a September report from The Marine Corps Times, Smith has been serving as both the first and second commandant.

"One of the reasons, I think contributed to his condition was he was doing two jobs at once,” Reeds told Politico, adding "I’ve read where he was working from 5 am to 11 pm. As a result, if he had, as is normal, an assistant, he could switch off."

Senator Chuck Schumer agreed with Reed’s claims, tweeting, "It's urgent with the news Gen Eric Smith was hospitalized—we pray for him. This incident shows why it’s supremely risky to play politics with military appointments like Sen Tuberville."

Why did Tuberville compare Smith to a football coach?

Tuberville made the absurd comparison on Wednesday, November 1 when responding to criticism from his GOP colleagues over the hold of 300-plus nominees, according to Huff Post.

At Capitol Hill, a reporter mentioned Smith as he asked the Alabama senator whether he’s “making it harder” for military personnel to do their jobs.

To which Tuberville replied, “And somebody said he’s working 18 hours a day. Jack Reed blamed me for his heart attack. Come on, give me a break.”

“This guy’s gonna work 18, 20 hours a day no matter what. That’s what we do. You know, I did that for years because you gotta get the job done. You try to do everything yourself. So we’re not gonna go down that road,” continued the senator, who previously served as football coach at Auburn University and Texas Tech University.

Internet reacts to Tuberville’s remarks

Tuberville’s remarks have garnered immense social media attention, with users slamming him for comparing Smith’s long working hours to football coaching.

“This isn't Football #Tuberville. You are messing with people's lives. This must stop,” one user wrote. “I'm still not sure how, but Tommy Tuberville broke out of Cartoon Network and turned into a human,” the second user said.

“College football is a seasonal sport. If he worked that hard it sure didn't get him any more wins in Cincinnati. He was fired. Comparing a coaching job to a high-ranking military officer is not only disrespectful it's one of the most egotistical things I have heard,” the third user slammed.

“The man was in charge of thousands and thousands of lives and you compare that to being a college football coach? One punch please,” the fourth user asserted while the fifth one stated, “Comparing football to defending the nation? I’ve insulted him and apologized to the troops for his behavior but this is a bridge too far.”

“A freeking football coach compares himself to a Marine Commandant, that is rich, the joker never served a day in the military,” one more said.