As soon as Caitlin Clark slapped Angel Reese’s arm in an attempt to jar the ball loose in Saturday’s WNBA game between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky, everyone knew that the narratives were about to start flowing.
Since then, we’ve picked up where we left off last season, with many discussions and hot takes about anything other than basketball.
One of the people adding fuel to that fire was Robert Griffin III. The former NFL player and engagement bait expert took to X to say that he believed Reese “hates” Clark.
Monday, ESPN’s Ryan Clark weighed in on Griffin’s take, accusing his former NFL teammate of trafficking in stereotypes and citing Griffin’s multiple marriages to white women as evidence that he doesn’t understand what Black women like Reese have to endure daily.
RGIII offered a lengthy response, saying, “There’s a line you don’t cross in life and Ryan Clark sprinted past it,” adding that his comments were “a bad look for ESPN and for him as a man.”
Clark quickly responded, saying Griffin was “one of the worst teammates I ever had, both on the field and in TV.”
The ESPN NFL analyst also added one more bit Monday night, saying that he felt no remorse about his comments.
At that point, the public exchange between the two entered a ceasefire, but Fox Sports’ Emmanual Acho decided to interject himself into the discussion by sharing his thoughts on Griffin and Clark’s statements.
“Here is where I realized we are, 24 hours later. A Black woman, Angel Reese, has seemingly been attacked by a Black man, Robert Griffin. And a Black man, Robert Griffin, has seemingly been attacked by a Black man, Ryan Clark. So, ultimately, what have we been left with? A Black man and a Black woman being attacked both by Black people. So who’s actually winning here?
“I know Ryan. I know Ryan well. I know Robert. I know Robert well. Ultimately, I believe that their hearts are very similar. They want the best from the world. They want the best for people that look like them, and truly, they want the best for all people. But after 24 freaking hours, I’m really sitting here thinking that the only thing that has happened is that a Black man, Robert Griffin, has helped fuel the attack of another black woman in Angel Reese, by putting out his statement. And a black man, Ryan Clark, has helped fuel the attacks on another black man, Robert Griffin, by putting out his video. So it’s just Black people being attacked, and they’re being attacked by the inciting of other Black people.
“The reason I’m not hitting Robert or Ryan privately is because I think this conversation needs to transcend a private text message or a private phone call. I really want people to hear this. What ultimately has been won? What’s been won? Some retweets, oh, you got figuratively dunked on. Oh, you got figuratively dunked on. Somebody’s been called a coon here. Somebody’s been called a racist here. Somebody’s been called a sellout here. Somebody’s been said they’re dancing for the man here. But what’s actually been won?
“Now, Robert’s implying that it’s a bad look for ESPN, thus maybe putting Ryan’s job in jeopardy. Then my dog Ryan’s going back at Robert Griffin, saying he’s the worst teammate ever. Just what’s been won? What? Who’s winning? Not people that look like me.”
Acho is right that the conversation is now so far removed from where it started that it is basically unrecognizable. This discussion about two WNBA players has devolved into a pissing match between two men. Sadly, in the sports media world, that’s how conversations about Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese tend to go.