Monday was a crazy day for sports media — particularly the top dogs at ESPN.
Stephen A. Smith was called out by Monica McNutt for the lack of women’s basketball coverage over the last few years, while Pat McAfee gave a boisterous rant about the treatment of Caitlin Clark by the media in which he referred to her as a “white b—.”
McAfee was praising Clark and her impact on the sport during his speech, but referring to her as a “white b—” sparked a ton of backlash from social media.
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Even WNBA players gave their thoughts — including Diamond DeShields, who is a teammate of Chennedy Carter on the Chicago Sky.
White b**** is CRRRRRRRRRAZY. What is going on!?
— Diamond DeShields (@diamonddoesit1) June 3, 2024
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
McAfee took to X (formerly Twitter) to apologize for his statements and said that his statement and segment was meant to be “complimentary.”
“I shouldn’t have used “white b—” as a descriptor of Caitlin Clark,” McAfee wrote. “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.”
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He also said that he personally sent an apology to Clark.
McAfee still had another on-air job to fulfill on Monday as a commentator on WWE Raw, and it was there where he snuck the term again with a little reference to his debacle from earlier in the day.
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WWE superstar Braun Strowman made an appearance on Monday Night Raw wearing a shirt that read “One Big SOB.” The term was clearly being used to build the character of the six-foot-eight behemoth, and McAfee acknowledged it on the microphone. But he added a little extra to it.
“That’s one big white son of a b—,” McAfee said on the broadcast.
Pat McAfee calls Caitlin Clark a White bitch on the Pat McAfee Show, fake apologizes, hops on a jet and calls Braun Strowman “One big white son of a bitch” on WWE Monday Night RAW 8 hours later. Like @Chuckisdope says “This bitch is glitching” pic.twitter.com/78bwwH7Kxe
— Marcus Scorsese (@ashtonmorris1) June 4, 2024
The reference was made even more obvious that McAfee had an extended pause before saying “white.”
The context of McAfee’s usage on Monday night is very different from what he said to Clark, and he’ll likely not receive any flack for it. But it is a little jab into the ether from ESPN’s $17 million man.
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