Some people raise their voices to be heard, while others only speak when they need to be heard, choosing the perfect opportunity. That is exactly what journalist Bob Costas did on CNN last night when he addressed the viral topic of Caitlin Clark being fouled on Saturday. He approached it in the same way many fans had hoped, explaining that the incident involving Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese being snatched out of the air by Connecticut Sun’s Alyssa Thomas was not covered by the media at the same level as the incident with Caitlin Clark, despite being an even more dangerous foul.
The Bayou Barbie addressed the situation after the game, saying that as a rookie, she has to gain their respect, and she shrugged it off and moved on to the next play. When her teammate Chennedy Carter knocked Clark to the ground at the end of the third quarter, Reese stood up, and it has been suggested that she was celebrating Clark being pushed down. However, in reality, she was just being a supportive teammate in an aggressive sport.
Bob Costas believes that the incident involving Thomas and Reese, two black girls, did not appease the media as much. He sat down with Cari Champion and Abby D. Phillip on CNN last night and gave his outlook on the situation.
“Alyssa Thomas, who happens to be African-American, grabbed Angel Reese by the throat and threw her to the floor, resulting in a flagrant two and ejection from the game,” Costas told the ladies. “The reason that does not spark as much conversation isn’t because Caitlin Clark is a bigger star than Alyssa Thomas; it’s because it is a black-on-black incident. You don’t have that dynamic that people can comment on, yes, but also exaggerate and make the entire story sometimes.”
Cari Champion reaffirmed and thanked Bob for acknowledging the obvious racial undertone this story has had from the beginning. Often, stories regarding the aggression Clark has seen have had an exhausting undertone that many fans of the WNBA cannot accept because this has been a recurring issue.
Bob mentioned that he sees it in every sport, and the WNBA is no different. The players are competitive and welcome the rookies, but they do not disregard the work the ladies before Clark have done and should not be expected to conform simply due to the love Clark receives from the public.
Is Bob Costas ironically insinuating that there is anti-white racism? According to his article, a flagrant black-on-black foul resulted in ejection, but a flagrant foul on white CC did not? Is he giving an example that one could get away fouling a white player but not a black player?