Angel Reese’s harsh strike on Caitlin Clark draws eye-openers Colin Cowherd takes
Colin Cowherd believes that it’s beneficial for women’s basketball.
Colin Cowherd: It’s a triumph for the WNBA. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are on both sides.
The Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky aren’t in contention for the championship this season, but the Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese drama continues. Another sports pundit, Colin Cowherd, weighs in on the WNBA dispute.
Cowherd believes Sky forward Angel Reese’s flagrant foul on Fever guard Caitlin Clark was good to the WNBA.
“This is a victory for women’s basketball…” I would never stop defending Draymond Green. I’m going to be offended by this?”
"This is a win for women's basketball… I defended Draymond Green forever. I'm going to be outraged by this?"
— @ColinCowherd reacts to Angel Reese's flagrant foul on Caitlin Clark pic.twitter.com/zCvf9VLt31
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) June 17, 2024
– @ColinCowherd reacts to Angel Reese’s flagrant foul on Caitlin Clark.
The foul occurred during the third quarter of their Sunday afternoon game. While both athletes have dismissed the incident as merely a “basketball play,” media outlets have used it to further the ongoing narrative surrounding Caitlin Clark.
Colin Cowherd commends Caitlin.
Clark Cowherd stated on Thursday that the reaction to the foul was precisely what he expected.
Colin Cowherd lauded Clark’s basketball abilities on Monday’s broadcast of The Herd, describing her as a highly good player who is constantly growing and demonstrating brilliance on the floor. He praised her great vision and passing skills, emphasizing how everything is coming together for her. Cowherd also stated that, while the media may struggle with certain aspects of the issue, players such as Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark understand how to deal with it.
“This is all so predictable…” Everyone is freaking out over Caitlin Clark… Angel Reese is picking on her and making hard fouls. Major League Baseball provides a fair comparison here. Because Major League Baseball and the Women’s National Basketball Association consistently feel disregarded. They’re very protective of ‘THERE’S A WAY TO PLAY THE GAME!’; it’s very insular, it’s a ‘PAY YOUR DUES!’ mindset,” Cowherd said vehemently about the recent incident.
Observers overreact.
While many people are overreacting to Reese accidentally smacking Clark’s head, Cowherd believes that introducing some toughness could help the WNBA.
“So, when good-looking and cool Bryce Harper entered Major League Baseball fresh out of high school, he got into a fistfight with one of his teammates. They were yelling at him, ‘YOU’RE THE PRODIGY!’ YOU’RE THE HOT SHOT!” It didn’t last 6-7 games; it lasted around three years. You’ve heard a lot of preachy crap like ‘THERE’S A WAY TO PLAY THE GAME! Baseball is quite isolated. “There is a way to play the game, and there are ‘unwritten rules,'” the radio show presenter explained.
A few weeks ago, Chennedy Carter’s hip-check foul on Clark, which was first deemed a common foul but was later elevated to a flagrant-1 following league review, sparked significant outrage. This event sparked questions about whether players were targeting Clark and being unduly aggressive on the floor.
The WNBA wins!
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) yells at the referee during a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Thursday, June 13, 2024. The Indiana Fever beat the Atlanta Dream 91-84.
Colin Cowherd went on to say, “The WNBA — similarly ignored and lamenting the publicity — and here comes the Iowa hot shot and it’s ‘PAY YOUR DUES TIME!’, and they’re pushing her around and there are flagrant fouls.” To some extent, the WNBA is a ‘US versus. everybody else’ league, and Caitlin Clark is an outsider. They’ll make her pay her dues. I have seen this material before, and so have you.”
“You see it in fraternities—hazing.” You see it in the military. This is how we operate: isolated, tribal, and in specific communities. “This is hazing, but not nearly as ugly as the private hazing that we’ve had in the past at fraternities and in the military,” Cowherd said, comparing the Clark controversy to hazing.
“This is a victory for women’s basketball.” These egregious fouls result in a win. I’ve always defended Draymond Green, so am I going to be outraged by this? It’s a flagrant offense. “She got up and played, okay?”
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark will be okay.
Cowherd stated that women who commit flagrant fouls should not be portrayed as villains. He mentioned Diana Taurasi’s earlier flagrant foul, noting that such situations are common in basketball. He compared it to the many aspects of every industry, including basketball, and stated that both the NBA and the WNBA are dealing with these issues.
“People who have never watched the WNBA don’t comprehend the chippiness that comes with it. “People who don’t watch the WNBA, including myself, parachute in and are outraged,” Cowherd emphasized.
Cowherd expressed his dissatisfaction by claiming that he is uninterested in people’s fury if they were unaware of the league’s existence six months prior. He highlighted that he is tired of the widespread indignation on the internet and social media sites such as TikTok, and he believes it is absurd for people to suddenly express outrage about something they did not know or follow before.
The veteran radio show presenter reassured everyone that Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are doing well and are part of what he believes is the best WNBA rookie class ever. He encouraged everyone to take a big breath and told everyone, particularly Clark, that everything would be alright.
