Sophie Cunningham understands something that very few others in the sports world seem to.
You never, ever cave to the mob if you haven’t done anything wrong.
The Indiana Fever guard proved as much this summer after she came out against biological males competing against females in sports.
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Her stance prompted her to garner the title “MAGA Barbie.” It sparked fans to boo her when she entered the game in cities such as Seattle. It caused a sports reporter to say that she is “unafraid to be blatantly transphobic” and fans to call for her suspension.
Did Cunningham buckle? Hell no. She doubled down with an Instagram post that declared she isn’t backing down for anyone.
“I said what I said,” she wrote.
This is the only way to do it. If there’s one thing the mob hates more than anything, it’s courage. You show it to them, they go away. It’s just sad that so few seem to possess it.
NBC Sports football analyst Chris Simms was the latest to bow to online outrage over some perfectly reasonable 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.
At halftime, Simms said that Moore’s injury was a “Debbie Downer” moment because fans want to see teams at full 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.” He added how Moore’s late slide put Stephens in a “no-win situation.”
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This is an ex-football player talking 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. I mishandled the situation and I was wrong. I’m sorry for that.”
It seems like we see a new one of these every week. Earlier this month, Texas quarterback Arch Manning laughed at an AI meme of ESPN reporter Holly Rowe getting slapped by Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian. He was shamed into apologizing two days later. 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.”
This is common lingo in Australia — Brondello’s home country — where it’s meant to express frustration over a player getting special 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.”
And then, of course, there was Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown caving last year after doing the Trump dance after a touchdown in a game vs. Commanders. Said St. Brown: “First of all, if I offended anyone, I do apologize. I did not mean to offend anyone. It was just, we’re having fun.”
It’s hard watching these sports figures shed their dignity with each one of these mea culpas. What they don’t understand is that they are losing respect from the public every time they issue one. The outrage mob simply sees them as people who will fold the next time they want to sink their hooks into them. And the folks who would have supported them if they stood strong? They now see a spineless pushover.
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This doesn’t mean that people should never apologize. During his time in Seattle, Richard Sherman was infamous for his inability to ever take accountability for his wrongdoing. That’s also a form of weakness — it’s just wearing a different costume.
But to surrender when you’ve done nothing wrong? It’s not noble, it’s nauseating.
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People like Cunningham know this. Charles Barkley, too. The Hall of Fame hooper is on record saying trans athletes don’t belong in women’s sports, and the blowback has been almost nonexistent because everyone knows he is going to hold firm in his position. That’s the power of integrity.
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The vocal minority shouldn’t have the influence that it does. Yet it regularly turns titans of the sports world into mush. Don’t be like Chris Simms, who gave into the mob. Be like Cunningham, who decided to stand up to it. Sophie’s choice is the only choice.
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