ESPN personality Pat McAfee earned a lot of criticism on Monday afternoon for the way he chose to characterize Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark.
On Monday, Pat McAfee opened The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN by attempting to defend Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and what she means to the WNBA. But the way he referred to Clark during his show sparked some absolute outrage.
“There seems to be this notion that this whole evolution of success and popularity in the WNBA is because of this entire rookie class. I think there’s a chance Chennedy Carter thinks [Sky rookie forward] Angel Reese deserves all this credit. The media talks about how it’s the entire class,” McAfee said before pointing out that Clark has led to a surge in ratings and jersey sales.
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
“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 [expletive] for the Indiana team who is a superstar.”
Obviously, the choice of words from McAfee led to a lot of reactions on social media.
ESPN made the editorial choice to pivot sports coverage away from reporting and toward hot takery. Now when a nuanced subject requires the former they have a roster of loudmouths only interested in the latter. The W deserves better https://t.co/fHMB8ngwbv
— Astead (@AsteadWH) June 3, 2024
Beyond unacceptable. https://t.co/L2R6JMOKQd
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) June 3, 2024
ESPN laid off 20 people to give Pat McAfee $17 million a year to produce a show geared towards people who have been asked to leave a Chili's on more than one occasion. https://t.co/lp2wdy9FWR
— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) June 3, 2024
Yall stay safe ✌🏾 pic.twitter.com/x6zKqqDYph
— Brianna Turner (@_Breezy_Briii) June 3, 2024
every new thing i've learned about pat mcafee's show has been against my will
— Meg Rowley (@megrowler) June 3, 2024
what a maverick https://t.co/BwvvG13KeG
— Holly Anderson 🍇 (@HollyAnderson) June 3, 2024
it got wild before 1 et on espn today didn't it https://t.co/4PxLMLCdeL
— bomani (@bomani_jones) June 3, 2024
really glad ESPN gave this moron an ocean of gold coins to swim in so I have to see his takes all the time https://t.co/efkGbQLB5c
— Wyatt (@hooplawyatt) June 3, 2024
Needless to say, people were not happy about his choice of words.
