Since signing a deal to air his show on ESPN, Pat McAfee has developed a reputation for presuming he’s untouchable, in large part because, so far, he has been.
He seems to remain very adamant about proving that to be true.
After receiving massive backlash on Monday for referring to Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark as a “white b—-” on The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee apologized for the terminology, saying he ‘shouldn’t have used’ the descriptor.
However, a few hours later while announcing WWE’s Monday Night Raw, McAfee broke out the term again. This time, it was to describe WWE superstar Braun Strowman as he ran towards the ring.
Strowman’s current nickname is “One Big SOB” and McAfee is prone to elongating that and calling him “a big son of a b—-” on the air. However, he added an extra word into the mix on Monday night.
https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1797858414347055537
Some might point to Strowman’s shirt or catchphrase but there’s no denying that he purposefully tacked on that extra word referencing Monday’s brouhaha.
On its own, perhaps that’s just a little thing. But on the heels of the controversial comments, coupled with what was supposed to be read as a sincere apology, McAfee’s cheeky usage on Monday night implies that the apology was anything but sincere (unlike the one he gave an NFL owner billionaire). At the very least, it was another reminder that he fears no repercussions from ESPN (and frankly, so far, he shouldn’t).
You do have to wonder, however. As the non-apology apologies stack up, and discourse in certain circles turns against McAfee, even briefly, how will he deal with that?
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.