Outkick the Coverage founder and Fox Sports pundit Clay Travis believes the media is always looking to push a false narrative that white athletes behave badly.
The outspoken pundit’s comments came in response to American swimming hero Ryan Lochte getting suspended for ten months after being robbed at gunpoint during the Olympics. (RELATED: Ryan Lochte Gets 10-Month Suspension After Being Robbed At Gunpoint)
He said the following:
Isn’t it a little bit scary that this story has taken off like it did and most people don’t know what the actual truth of the matter was? I think that’s the scariest thing off this story that we live in such an absurd situation, such an absurd country. At this point in time, the vast majority of people out there look to any story to reinforce whatever their existing worldview already is. If you believe that the world is an awful place and that white men are out here running rampant, destroying the universe, then whenever there’s somebody getting into a little bit of trouble everybody piles it on. I’ll give you an example: Duke lacrosse. Duke lacrosse — nothing happened. I’ll give you another example: This UVA Rolling Stone’s cover story supposedly about a gang rape that happened on campus. It was totally made up. Peyton Manning’s 20-year old mooning turns into, according to ESPN, the equivalent of freaking Watergate. A 20-year old training room mooning, they covered it like it was the most important story to ever happen in the history of mankind, and Ryan Lochte is the latest example. What do all of those guys have in common? They’re all white guys. There’s a huge percentage of people in the media who want white guys behaving badly to be a huge story so they’re willing to believe the worst no matter what.
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Travis has been a harsh critic of the media in the past and he clearly remains one of the most honest members of sports media and media in general.