It’s not often that ESPN’s game show Around the Horn gets testy, but that’s what Caitlin Clark is bringing out of everyone these days.
During Monday’s episode, the panelists discussed the fallout from a hard foul by Chicago Sky reserve guard Chennedy Carter against Clark, which caused major disagreement among the four analysts and host Tony Reali.
The clash of generations and perspectives among panelists Tim Cowlishaw, Clinton Yates, Frank Isola and Courtney Cronin highlighted just how polarizing Clark has become and the divides over each major story she’s been involved in from the NCAA tournament through her start in the WNBA.
“We have about nine different conversations going about this specific play and Caitlin Clark and her rookie [season] in the WNBA,” Cronin said. “We find ourselves in these insane arguments that have nothing to do with the basketball at hand. I’m not a ‘stick to sports’ person, but I would actually like to stick to the play on the court right now.”
Yates took a broader, more historical perspective, pointing out that recently retired two-time WNBA champion Candace Parker dealt with similar drama her rookie season.
“There are other things beyond just this team that you can focus on, but this is what you get when you ask for the Clark experience,” Yates said.
Even ‘Around the Horn’ got pretty contentious discussing Caitlin Clark today on ESPN.
First, Courtney Cronin and Clinton Yates take aim at the narrow discussion of “Clark vs the rest of the WNBA”: pic.twitter.com/IXqZCrDkYv
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 3, 2024
The older Isola questioned Yates and tried to return the conversation to the present day, which he argued was the first moment the masses were paying attention to the sport.
“You’re talking about things that happened in the league 10, 20 years ago; no one was paying attention,” Isola said. “Now more eyes are on it than ever before … we’re constantly getting lectured by players and coaches in this league that nobody hates Caitlin Clark; there’s nothing wrong with her. Oh really, so we cannot believe what we see with our eyes? We have to believe what you’re telling us?”
Isola called on the WNBA to send a message to its teams and players that this level of physicality, targeting, and Clark is unacceptable.
Cowlishaw agreed, noting that other players should treat Clark as a financial godsend and that Clark’s teammates should protect her to send the message.
“We’re allowed to have an opinion.”
Frank Isola and Tim Cowlishaw weigh in next, making the case that WNBA athletes and the league should do more to lift Clark up rather than making her a villain.
Host Tony Reali then asks, “are we up to the moment to cover this sport?” pic.twitter.com/BVJZiGHxay
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 3, 2024
When Yates pointed out that he listens “to the women in the league before anybody else” when it comes to the WNBA, the conversation went sideways.
Cowlishaw sarcastically stated, “They’re all wrong. I don’t know why you’d listen to them,” before Isola said, “We’re allowed to have an opinion.”
Reali ultimately got the segment back on track by pleading for sports fans and media to listen and be considerate, rising to the moment to cover a sport that is gaining popularity.
The media caught the Clark bug again, and everything she is and represents clearly makes it difficult to have a calm, sane conversation around her.
