Everyday it’s something new as it pertains to Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, her fans, and those that write, debate and comment on all of it. The latest comes from USA Today columnist Nancy Armour who inexplicably compared Clark’s WNBA issues to the tragic, senseless and racially motivated death of Emmett Till.
The awkward and completely baseless comparison quickly drew plenty of backlash and the ire of many. One of those being former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh who in the aftermath of Armour’s comparison offered his opinion on the matter.
Housh Checks Armour
Speaking on a recent episode of “Speakeasy” the former NFL pass catcher didn’t hold back.
“Caitlin Clark hasn’t done anything. Like, to me she hasn’t done anything. I don’t believe sports and issues like this should correlate. Why are we trying to make this comparison? If Clark has fans that wanna send death threats to others, they are the ignorant ones. And she’s come out in defense of players,” Houshmandzadeh said.
“She (Armour) wants Clark to do that every time it happens? … I don’t care if her heart was in the right place. It came out wrong,” Houshmandzadeh, added. “You typed it. Why are we even trying to make this correlation?”
For those who don’t know, Till was a 14-year-old African-American boy who was abducted and lynched in Mississippi in 1955 for allegedly whistling at a white woman in a store.
Armour Attempts To Clean Up Mishap
After receiving heavy backlash and being called out by Housh, Armour issued an apology.
Armour posted a statement calling the reference an “inartful comparison” and admitted she failed to provide adequate context.
She stated that she regretted how the missing context overshadowed the wider conversation regarding player safety in the WNBA.
Critics labeled the response a “non-apology” because she maintained the core premise of her writing while apologizing only for the delivery.
Fans Chime In
Social media was once again a buzz in the aftermath of Armour’s comments and Houshmandzadeh’s response.
“The jealousy and hate, black politicians, and left-of-the-universe members of the media have for successful whites, is mind boggling,” a fan said.
“If there is any racism it’s pretty obvious where it’s coming from….” another person commented.
“It’s only ok to put white players in danger everyone in the WNBA knows that,” another fan replied.
“It would have been palatable if NA mentioned that Clark should get more tan to be acceptable in the WNBA,” a person quipped.
“Hypocrites always say the wrong thing and then apologize. Simply a lie,” another fan mentioned.
“Comparing a basketball rivalry to a lynching is certainly a choice,” someone else spewed.
