Sophie Cunningham understands something that very few others in the sports world seem to.
asserted
others → understand → world
You never, ever cave to the mob if you haven't done anything wrong.
asserted
you → cave → anything
The Indiana Fever guard proved as much this summer after she came out against biological males competing against females in sports.
asserted
she → prove → sports
Her stance prompted her to garner the title "MAGA Barbie."
asserted
stance → prompt → title
It sparked fans to boo her when she entered the game in cities such as Seattle.
asserted
she → spark → Seattle
It caused a sports reporter to say that she is "unafraid to be blatantly transphobic" and fans to call for her suspension.
asserted
fans → cause → suspension
Did Cunningham buckle?
asserted
Cunningham → buckle → ?
She doubled down with an Instagram post that declared she isn't backing down for anyone.
asserted
she → double → anyone
"I said what I said," she wrote.
asserted
she → say → what
This is the only way to do it.
asserted
This → do → it
If there's one thing the mob hates more than anything, it's courage.
asserted
it → be → anything
You show it to them, they go away.
asserted
they → show → them
It's just sad that so few seem to possess it.
asserted
few → seem → it
NBC Sports football analyst Chris Simms was the latest to bow to online outrage over some perfectly reasonable comments.
asserted
Simms → bow → comments
After Oregon quarterback Dante Moore was knocked out of Saturday's game due to a helmet-to-helmet hit by USC's Desman Stephens II, Simms did what an analyst is paid to do: analyze.
asserted
analyst → knock → what
At halftime, Simms said that Moore's injury was a "Debbie Downer" moment because fans want to see teams at full strength.
asserted
fans → say → strength
He then shared some advice his father told him about how to "make sure you get down in time and don't take any big hits."
asserted
you → share → hits
He added how Moore's late slide put Stephens in a "no-win situation."
asserted
slide → add → situation
This is an ex-football player talking football.
asserted
This → talk → football
But apparently all Oregon fans wanted to hear was that this was the dirtiest hit in the history of the sport, so Sunday, Simms took to social media to write "I clearly did not show enough sympathy for the situation.
asserted
I → want → situation
I mishandled the situation and I was wrong.
asserted
I → mishandle → situation
It seems like we see a new one of these every week.
asserted
we → seem → these
Earlier this month, Texas quarterback Arch Manning laughed at an AI meme of ESPN reporter Holly Rowe getting slapped by Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian.
asserted
Rowe → laugh → Sarkisian
He was shamed into apologizing two days later.
asserted
He → sham → ?
In July, Sandy Brondello, coach of the WNBA's Toronto Tempo, wanted a foul to be called on Atlanta's Angel Reese, and could be heard telling refs that Reese was a "protected species."
uncertain
Reese → want → refs
This is common lingo in Australia — Brondello's home country — where it's meant to express frustration over a player getting special treatment.
asserted
it → mean → treatment
But Brondello still issued a written apology to Reese, saying "I used a phrase that I shouldn't have used, and I take full responsibility for that.
asserted
I → issue → that
Said St. Brown: "First of all, if I offended anyone, I do apologize.
asserted
I → say → anyone
I did not mean to offend anyone.
asserted
I → mean → anyone
It was just, we're having fun."
asserted
we → have → fun
It's hard watching these sports figures shed their dignity with each one of these mea culpas.
asserted
figures → watch → culpas
What they don't understand is that they are losing respect from the public every time they issue one.
asserted
they → understand → one
The outrage mob simply sees them as people who will fold the next time they want to sink their hooks into them.
asserted
they → see → them
And the folks who would have supported them if they stood strong?
asserted
they → support → them
They now see a spineless pushover.
asserted
They → see → pushover
This doesn't mean that people should never apologize.
asserted
people → mean → ?
During his time in Seattle, Richard Sherman was infamous for his inability to ever take accountability for his wrongdoing.
asserted
Sherman → take → wrongdoing
That's also a form of weakness — it's just wearing a different costume.
asserted
it → wear → costume
But to surrender when you've done nothing wrong?
asserted
you → surrender → nothing
People like Cunningham know this.
asserted
People → know → this
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
