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Tag: Dave Portnoy

  • ‘Unreal dumb’: US explodes in fury as WNBA superstar cops brutal Olympics snub

    ‘Unreal dumb’: US explodes in fury as WNBA superstar cops brutal Olympics snub

    Caitlin Clark won’t be part of the United States women’s national team for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, and that decision predictably got immediately shredded on social media by the sports world.

    Barstool founder Dave Portnoy unloaded on X, calling it, “the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard” after multiple reports said the Indiana Fever rookie would not make the 12-player roster.

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    “How dumb are these people?” Portnoy added. “Never complain about women salaries ever again. Make that team fly commercial. Unreal dumb.”

    Portnoy further railed against the decision in a two-plus minute video rant.

    “I’d rather watch grass grow, I’d rather watch paint dry. I’d rather watch dirt just be moved around because Caitlin Clark is not on the team,” he said.

    “If she’s there, it’s appointment TV. You people, whoever did this, take your brain, put it in a museum and study it for how dumb you are.”

    Colin Cowherd compared Clark to Christian Laettner, who was part of the 1992 Dream Team coming right out of college at Duke.

    “Christian Laettner made the Dream Team. Caitlin Clark can’t make the women’s Olympic basketball team?” Cowherd, the Fox Sports host, wrote.

    “What mostly pays for the Olympics — oh wait — revenue generated from broadcasting partners. As in TV. As in Caitlin is TV GOLD. Opportunity wasted.”

    Justine Termine of Sirius XM pointed out how silly it is for a sport that is trying to grow to not have someone as popular as Clark.

    “Even if she stinks, which she doesn’t, that’s horrible vision,” he posted.

    Clark won’t be headed to the Olympics with Team USA. (Photo by Greg Fiume / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP

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    US soccer legend Alexei Lalas had a rather blunt take on the decision.

    “I don’t know enough about USA women’s Olympic basketball to know if Caitlin Clark’s omission is a snub. I do know that, right now, she would be the only reason I would remotely care about USA women’s Olympic basketball,” he wrote.

    Michele Tafoya called it a “lost opportunity,” writing that it was a chance to not only grow the sport, but create interest. She went as far as to call the decision “detrimental” to the sport.

    The news of Clark’s commission, which is not official yet, comes after her fantastic performance on Friday night.

    She equalled a WNBA rookie record with seven 3-pointers for the Fever in front of the largest WNBA crowd in 17 years of 20,333 in Washington, D.C.

    Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, who will coach Team USA this summer, reportedly wanted to go with a more veteran roster, according to reports.

    Clark’s Olympic snub has generated plenty of critical reactions. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    She was critical during the pre-season of the WNBA’s heavy focus on Clark.

    Five-time gold medalist Diana Taurasi was reportedly invited, along with Phoenix Mercury teammate Brittney Griner.

    Olympic veterans such as Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd and Chelsea Gray will also be on the team.

    Clark’s absence, though, is the major story.

    “I don’t know how you leave the country without her,” four-time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie told The Sporting News in April.

    Team USA’s decision-makers apparently found a way.

    This story originally appeared on the New York Post and has been reposted with permission

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  • Journo banned after ‘really gross’ exchange with rising US basketball star Caitlin Clark

    Journo banned after ‘really gross’ exchange with rising US basketball star Caitlin Clark

    The Indianapolis Star has suspended sports columnist Gregg Doyel after he went viral for an embarrassing interaction with Caitlin Clark at a press conference.

    Doyel is suspended for two weeks, longtime Indianapolis sportswriter Bob Kravitz reported.

    As additional punishment, Doyel will not go to Clark’s rookie games this season but will instead cover them for opinion stories by watching them on TV.

    The report did not specify if the suspension is paid or unpaid, The New York Post reports.

    The Indianapolis Star is owned by USA Today’s parent company, Gannett.

    The Indiana Fever selected Clark first overall in the WNBA Draft and on April 17 introduced her to the media.

    At the press conference, Doyel made the heart gesture with his hands at Clark, a motion she made toward her family during games while she played college basketball at Iowa.

    You can watch the incident in the video above

    “You like that?” Clark responded.

    “I like that you’re here, I like that you’re here,” Doyel said.

    Clark explained that she made the gesture at her family, and Doyel responded, “Start doing it to me and we’ll get along just fine.”

    Caitlin Clark shrugged off the questions. Photo: X, Clutch Sports.Source: Twitter

    Doyel has not filed a story since a Colts NFL Draft piece on April 29, missing Clark’s preseason debut as well as the Pacers vanquishing the Bucks in the first round of the NBA playoffs and the start of their series against the Knicks.

    Shortly after the bizarre interaction with Clark, Doyel wrote an apology column.

    “I now realise what I said and how I said it was wrong, wrong, wrong. I mean it was just wrong,” he concluded the column. “Caitlin Clark, I’m so sorry.”

    Doyel’s behaviour at the infamous press conference was labelled “gross” by some basketball commentators.

    Fellow journalists and media members, including Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, were perturbed by how the columnist conducted himself.

    The bizarre scene was lambasted by many on social media, with Portnoy sharing a Barstool blogpost on his X account that called Doyel a “pervert.”

    Gregg Doyel was suspended. Photo: Instagram / Gregg Doyel.Source: Instagram
    Caitlin Clark is a baller. Photo by Gregory Shamus / GETTY IMAGES.Source: AFP

    Portnoy wrote out a follow-up post on X to clear up his re-share.

    “To clarify I meant to call Gregg Doyle a sexist pervert. Which he is based on his nauseating actions today,” Portnoy wrote on X.

    Portnoy wasn’t alone in his assessment of the situation, as CBC Sports senior contributor Shireen Ahmed went as far as to say Doyel should get his credentials taken away.

    “Almost every one of my women colleagues & students in sport media and sports journalism are sharing that clip of Gregg Doyel and Caitlin Clark with disgust,” Ahmed wrote on X.

    “We are rightly furious and fed up. His creds should be revoked and offered to an unentitled journalist who respects women.”

    Katie Mox of CBS Sports, was in the same camp.

    “What happened to Caitlin Clark today at her first press conference in Indy was really gross. I hope she gets an apology,” she wrote.

    Doyel did not immediately respond to an email from The Post asking if he has any additional comment.

    — This story originally appeared on The New York Post and has been republished with permission

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  • Journalist slammed after ‘really gross’ exchange with Caitlin Clark goes viral

    Journalist slammed after ‘really gross’ exchange with Caitlin Clark goes viral

    Caitlin Clark said she’s had a “whirlwind” week, but she probably didn’t expect an interaction with a reporter to go viral on social media.

    Clark, the Iowa superstar taken first overall by the Indiana Fever in this week’s WNBA draft, held a press conference Wednesday that included an awkward question-and-answer riff with a columnist from the Indianapolis Star — and a number of people, journalists and media members, including Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, were perturbed by how the columnist conducted himself.

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    NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 15: Caitlin Clark poses with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected first overall pick by the Indiana Fever. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP

    During the press conference, Gregg Doyel started his interaction with Clark by saying: “Real quick, let me do this,” and according to reporters covering the event, the columnist made a heart with his hands — a signature move Clark has used on the court to signal to her family after her college games.

    “You like that?” Clark responded.

    “I like that you’re here, I like that you’re here,” Doyel said.

    “Yeah, I do that at my family after every game,” Clark said of the hand gesture.

    Doyel then responded: “Start doing it to me and we’ll get along just fine.”

    The bizarre scene was lambasted by many on social media, with Portnoy sharing a Barstool blogpost on his X account that called Doyel a “pervert.”

    Portnoy wrote out a follow-up post on X to clear up his re-share.

    “To clarify I meant to call Gregg Doyle a sexist pervert. Which he is based on his nauseating actions today,” Portnoy wrote on X.

    Portnoy wasn’t alone in his assessment of the situation, as CBC Sports senior contributor Shireen Ahmed went as far as to say Doyel should get his credentials taken away.

    “Almost every one of my women colleagues & students in sport media and sports journalism are sharing that clip of Gregg Doyel and Caitlin Clark with disgust,” Ahmed wrote on X.

    “We are rightly furious and fed up. His creds should be revoked and offered to an unentitled journalist who respects women.”

    Katie Mox of CBS Sports, was in the same camp.

    “What happened to Caitlin Clark today at her first press conference in Indy was really gross. I hope she gets an apology,” she wrote.

    Meg Linehan, a senior writer at The Athletic, called into question more than just the interaction itself.

    “That Caitlin Clark video highlights a lot of things in one very small clip, but it’s also worth discussing how that’s just the tip of the iceberg — how much does that approach reflect the decision makers who still shape coverage at every level?” Linehan wrote.

    After getting crushed by scores of people, Doyel issued a mea culpa on X, labelling his actions as “oafish.”

    “Today in my uniquely oafish way, while welcoming @CaitlinClark22 to Indy, I formed my hands into her signature [heart hands],” he wrote. “My comment afterward was clumsy and awkward. I sincerely apologise. Please know my heart (literally and figuratively) was well-intentioned. I will do better.”

    Doyel also later wrote a column on the matter.

    Clark’s week included an appearance on “Saturday Night Live,” getting picked first overall in the draft, having President Biden discuss her WNBA pay and appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show” to talk about the aforementioned hectic week.

    But the interaction with Doyel was probably not on the superstar’s bingo card.

    This article first appeared on The New York Post and was reproduced with permission.

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  • Shaquille O’Neal defends Angel Reese’s taunt, goes after Barstool Sports founder

    Shaquille O’Neal defends Angel Reese’s taunt, goes after Barstool Sports founder

    Following LSU’s win over Iowa in the NCAA women’s tournament championship game, the internet has been buzzing about Angel Reese, who is facing backlash for her John Cena “you can’t see me” taunt at Hawkeyes phenom Caitlin Clark.

    The New York Post reports Dave Portnoy, the controversial founder of Barstool Sports accused of sexual misconduct, called Reese “a classless piece of s – t,” on Twitter, and included a video of her on-court gesture.

    Jemele Hill — a contributor for The Atlantic – had no problem picking a fight with Portnoy over the Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark drama.

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    Hill, who departed ESPN in 2018 — quote-tweeted Portnoy’s post on Monday, writing: “So I’m going to pick this fight. F – k you.”

    Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal also replied to Portnoy with: “and so is your mother.”

    The Barstool personality didn’t back down from his remarks.

    “I’m in a pretty big full-fledged internet war,” Portnoy said, adding that he bet on Iowa to win.

    “That bet is a major part of probably what transpired and I can explain,” Portnoy said.

    “ … I call her ‘a classless piece of s – t’ and off we go … It is classless by the way … If someone does something that I don’t like in a game I’m watching, I tweet.”

    Portnoy explained that it wasn’t Reese’s trash talk that he had an issue with.

    “I think you’re basically lying if you’re saying what Caitlin Clark did and Angel Reese did are the same thing — they’re not,” Portnoy said.

    Angel Reese of the LSU Lady Tigers reacts towards Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the NCAA championship game. Photo: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP

    “I like trash talking. If you hit a big shot in the moment or you’re talking s – t in the moment, back and forth … I don’t care. That is not what Angel Reese did.”

    Portnoy’s argument was that Reese “followed” Clark after the game was over to taunt her.

    “Find me one example in any sport, of anybody, after somebody wins a championship, confetti coming down, not in a close game — and find me a player stalking the best player on the other team,” Portnoy said.

    “It is not sexist. It does not happen. If a man did that, he would be called ‘classless’ and nobody would be saying anything.”

    In a separate tweet, Portnoy denied that the issue, at its core, is about race.

    O’Neal has been vocal in his defence of Reese, telling former ESPN anchor Keith Olberman to “leave Angel Reese alone”, after Olberman called Reese a “f***ing idiot” for her behaviour.

    “Shut your dumb a– up, leave Angel Reese alone,” Shaq wrote in a tweet.

    Olberman later apologised, calling his remarks “uninformed”.

    On Monday, Stephen A. Smith said on ESPN’s “First Take” that he believes there is a racial component to the situation.

    Reese’s “you can’t see me” celebration was the same gesture Clark made in Iowa’s Elite Eight win over Louisville.

    Shaquille O’Neal weighed in on the furore. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey said during an appearance on the “Today” show Monday that Reese is not going to apologise — and that trash-talk is part of who she is as a player.

    “[Reese] was upset because they [the public] attack her and they didn’t attack Caitlin and things like that,” Mulkey said.

    “Listen, that child is a beast on the boards rebounding. That child just won a national championship. She’s not afraid of social media. That is who Angel is.”

    After the win, Reese said she received more criticism than other players because she didn’t fit a “narrative”.

    “All year, I was critiqued about who I was. The narrative — I don’t fit the narrative. I don’t fit the box you all want me to be in. I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. You told me that all year,” Reese said.

    “But when other people do it — you all don’t say nothing. So, this is for the girls that look like me. That’s going to speak up for what they believe in.

    “It’s unapologetically you, and that’s what I did it for tonight. It was bigger than me tonight. It was bigger than me. Twitter is going to go in a rage every time.

    “And, I mean, I’m happy. I feel like I helped grow women’s basketball this year. I’m super happy and excited. I’m looking forward to celebrating and then next season.”

    This article originally appeared in the New York Post and was reproduced with permission.

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