Clay Travis on Stephen A. Smith Controversy: "Woke Virus" Taking Over Everything at ESPN

Conservative sports commentator and founder of OutKick.com, Clay Travis, told Fox News Wednesday that ESPN is suffering from the "Woke Virus".  This comes after that sports network's commentator, Stephen A. Smith, was forced to apologize for disparaging remarks directed at Angels superstar player Shohei Ohtani.

What Did Smith Say?

• In a segment on ESPN's morning talk show "First Take" Monday morning,  Smith said that the Japanese-born Major League Baseball sensation could not be the face of baseball due to his use of interpreters.
• The reaction from the Twitterverse was swift and Smith immediately appeared on Tuesday to issue an apology.
• BetOnline offered odds on what will happen next, including Smith being fired from ESPN at 3-1 odds.

ESPN and the "Woke Virus"

• Travis Clay says: "ESPN is in the grips of the woke virus that has totally taken over their entire company, and the lines for what can and cannot be said have moved from the external universe, where they are constantly policing everything, to internal."
• The Stephen A. Smith comments come just days after Rachel Nichols' was briefly pulled from her NBA Finals sideline reporter duties for comments she made last year over an open mic that only surfaced recently.
• In leaked audio, Nichols, who is White, reportedly criticized ESPN last year for choosing Maria Taylor, who is Black, to report on the sidelines of the NBA Finals over her. 
• ESPN responded by making Taylor a $3 million offer then sends out memo to staff addressing diversity and inclusion as Nichols sits in the network's crosshairs.
• "If you look at the conflict between Rachel Nichols and Maria Taylor and many of Stephen A. Smith's own colleagues coming after him on these comments now, what you are seeing is the revolution has turned internal. They can’t fight externally, and the world of sports, which became in many ways politics by any other name, is now turning on itself," Clay says.

Clay produced a video entitled "The Stephen A. Smith Apology Tour" for below viewing.

Ron DeSantis Gains on Trump as He Pushes "Don't Fauci My Florida" Merchandise

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was listed at +325 odds to win the Republican Nominee for the 2024 Election.  He has the second shortest odds after former US President Donald J. Trump.

• DeSantis has made a name for himself by keeping much of Florida wide open during the later part of the pandemic.
• Despite rising Covid-19 numbers, he has vowed "no more shutdowns" and is now pushing “Don’t Fauci My Florida” merchandise.
• The "Fauci" in question is Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to both former President Trump and current President Joe Biden.
• Fauci had widely advocated for nationwide business closures prior to distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine.
• Among the items being sold on the governor's official campaign website are drink koozies and T-shirts.
• Trump beat DeSantis handily (70 percent versus 21 percent) in an informal straw poll at this past weekend's CPAC event in Dallas.
• Biden is a better than 3-1 odds favorite to win the 2024 Presidential Election.

- Nagesh Rath, Gambling911.com