Sports host Pat McAfee started out defending Caitlin Clark, but he ended up defending himself.
McAfee was on a tirade Monday about Clark, whose entry into the WNBA has been rough, physically. That was typified by an incident Saturday in which Chicago Sky player Chennedy Carter whacked Clark of the Indiana Fever to the court, bringing Sky player Angel Reese off the bench to cheer.
McAfee pushed back on the notion that Clark is a fan favorite solely on the grounds of race.
“So I think what we’re trying to say is, what the WNBA currently has is what we might describe as a cash cow,” he said in a video posted to X.
WARNING: The following video contains vulgar language that some readers may find offensive.
Monday’s Pat McAfee Show opened with a Caitlin Clark PowerPoint:
“I would like the media people that continue to say, ‘This rookie class, this rookie class, this rookie class’. Nah, just call it for what it is — there’s one white bitch for the Indiana team who is a superstar.” pic.twitter.com/psGNQXts5O
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 3, 2024
“There is a superstar,” he said. “And we’re not saying that the players on the court need act any differently. That’s … the athletes are going to do what the athletes are going to do in any sport, and I think we’re all learning that the WNBA — that’s old-school football, baby.”
“But I would like the media people that continue to say, ‘This rookie class, this rookie class, this rookie class.’ Nah, just call it for what it is: There’s one white b**** for the Indiana team who is a superstar. And is it because she stayed in Iowa and put an entire state on her back and took a program from nothing to a multiple-year success story?” he said.
Do you agree with McAfee?
“Is it because she would go on to break the entire points records in the entire history of the NCAA?” he said.
“Is there a chance that people just enjoy watching her play basketball because how electrifying she is, what she did, what she stood for, how she went about going for what she went for? Maybe,” he said.
“But instead, we have to hear people say that we only like her ‘cause she’s white. And she’s only popular because the rest of the rookie class is doing what they’re doing. Well that’s a bunch of bulls***, and we think the WNBA, more specifically their refs, need to stop trying to screw her over at every single turn,” he said.
“What you have is somebody special, and we’re lucky she’s here, in Indiana,” he said.
But saying “b****” made McAfee the focus of attention.
“This is just completely unacceptable,” ESPN analyst Kim Adams posted on X. “Interested to see how ESPN handles it. And his entire argument is not conducive to anything going on in the WNBA right now. Just let the women hoop.”
This is just completely unacceptable. Interested to see how ESPN handles it.
And his entire argument is not conducive to anything going on in the #WNBA right now.
Just let the women hoop. https://t.co/n0AFHFMegY
— Kim Adams (@_kimadams) June 3, 2024
An apology was forthcoming
“I shouldn’t have used ‘white b****’ as a descriptor of Caitlin Clark,” McAfee posted on X.
“No matter the context.. even if we’re talking about race being a reason for some of the stuff happening.. I have way too much respect for her and women to put that into the universe,” he wrote.
WARNING: The following post contains vulgar language that some readers may find offensive.
I shouldn’t have used “white bitch” as a descriptor of Caitlin Clark. No matter the context.. even if we’re talking about race being a reason for some of the stuff happening.. I have way too much respect for her and women to put that into the universe.
My intentions when saying… pic.twitter.com/F6OHB4gvYh
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 3, 2024
“My intentions when saying it were complimentary just like the entire segment but, a lot of folks are saying that it certainly wasn’t at all. That’s 100% on me and for that I apologize… I have sent an apology to Caitlin as well. Everything else I said… still alllllll facts,” he posted.
