BY LOUIS C. WARD
Trevor Mallory, President of the Democratic Black Caucus of Florida (DBCF), has a few choice words for Keith Olbermann and Dave Portnoy, two white men who publicly disrespected Louisiana State University’s (LSU)Angel Reese, a power forward, who talked trash after LSU beat University of Iowa for the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament title Sunday, April 2, 2023: “Shut-up!! Leave them alone, and let them play basketball,” reiterated President Mallory with a look of disdain for the two men’s comments.
Mallory, a former major league baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays in the 90’s and a father of four daughters in sports, said, “Both men used unacceptable language when Olbermann, a former sports writer called Reese, a 20-year-old sophomore, a “Classless fuc**** idiot” and Portnoy described her as “Fuc**** piece of Sh**”. Both were very disrespectful and way out of line.”
Angel Reese is the talk of the Final Four Women’s NCAA tournament. Unfortunately, it’s not for skills in helping to bring the championship to Louisiana. But for her “You can’t see me” and pointing to her ring finger where she will wear her championship ring. Gestures directed to Caitlin Clark, a White player on University of Iowa’s team during the last game at Dallas, Texas.
“There wasn’t any blatant disrespect hurled at Caitlin Clark for her trash and smack talk,” emphasized President Mallory. “According to the comments I saw, Caitlin Clark was just talking trash, nothing more. But Angel Reese was ‘unsportsmanlike’ and should have been more ‘humble’.”
“Angel Reese, known as Bayou Barbie, showed the right example for my daughters and other Black females who will play high school and college sports. Yet, she was vilified in social media”, remarked President Mallory.
“It doesn’t surprise me that there is a double standard for race in America. The narrative for Blacks is different than it is for Whites. That was the reality when I pitched in major league baseball and that’s still the reality now, some 30 plus years later,” revealed President Mallory, who represents almost 2 million Black registered voters in the sunshine state of Florida.
President Mallory said, “When Angel Reese responded to those cowards who hid behind Twitter and made negative and disrespectful comments, she was a young warrior, inspiring present and future young Black women whether it be in the sports arena or any other area of life.”
We must also recognize Caitlin Clark for her positive response toward Angel Reese: “No matter which way it goes, she (Angel Reese) should never be criticized for what she did.”
“Let Angel Reese’s response embolden many to be a bellwether to work against and defeat the double standard for race that exists in America”, emphasized President Mallory. “If not now, when? If not me, who?”
“Be unapologetically you!” Angel Reese commanded.
“It gives me hope that our young people will stand for something, and not fall for anything,” concluded President Mallory.
