Please don't tell me you're surprised by any of this.
Let's make a comparison for a moment here. And I'll admit, it's a bit of a stretch, but go with me here for a moment.
ESPN's Jemele Hill tweeted earlier this week that most Americans who voted for POTUS -- as well as POTUS himself -- represent a culture of white supremacy. She wrote, "Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists."
A fireable offense? Perhaps. Certainly a questionable decision on her part, considering her place on the four-letter network and her visibility (created largely by her employer) on said network.
Now let's take this latest step into the world of absurdity.
Recently retired boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr., still reveling in the afterglow of his victory in a sham of a boxing match against MMA champion Conor McGregor, also chimed in on POTUS and those who apparently speak like him.
Mayweather said to reporters yesterday, "People don't like the truth... He speak like a real man spoke. Real men speak like, 'Man, she had a fat ass. You see her ass? I had to squeeze her ass. I had to grab that fat ass.' Right? So he talking locker room talk. Locker room talk. 'I'm the man, you know what I'm saying?"
One can reasonably argue that the comments made by a journalist onto a Twitter account are not an accurate reflection of a large majority of people.
One can therefore also reasonably argue that comments made by an athlete to a journalist should also not be seen as an accurate reflection of a large majority of people.
But will Mayweather receive ridicule, scorn, death threats and have his credibility called into question by members of the White House?
Will Mayweather be asked to apologize publicly for -- what some will see -- calling into question the ethics and behavior of "real men"?
If Hill is going to be held to a higher standard because she talks to you in front of a television camera, then shouldn't Mayweather be held to a higher standard because his achievements, his global brand, his image as a strong, wealthy man make him an icon or a role model to many kids?
Or do we not care because Trump insulted women?
And so long as the women aren't insulting Trump or his supporters, all forms of logic and reason are pushed off to the side.
Because the sad truth is, Mayweather doesn't risk anything with his comments. He can't be threatened to lose a job he's already completed, he certainly won't be admonished by White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and he almost assuredly won't be threatened by those same "white supremacists" that Hill spoke of because many of them spend far too much of their time reading comments on Twitter.
Floyd Mayweather is a clown, but this time, the joke's on those of you who don't even realize that those same people characterized as "white supremacists" are also being lumped in with the "real men" who grab the private parts of women simply because .... wait, what was that POTUS said some time back???
Real men and white supremacists..... What a way to end the week!
That was quite the little tussle last night on Thursday Night Football.
That is, if you enjoyed watching two very average football teams play a rather unwatchable game.
For the record, the Houston Texans beat the Cincinnati Bengals 13-9. Rookie quarterback DeShaun Watson scored the game's only touchdown on a 49-yard scramble late in the second quarter.
The Texans (1-1) are very average. The Bengals (0-2) are a little worse than that.
The Texans have room to improve. The Bengals play in a division where they should still be competitive with just a modicum of improvement in the coming weeks.
There. I have now completed my recap of Thursday Night Football. That was painful.
It took Adrian Peterson all of one regular season game to alienate himself, not only from reality, but also from some within the organization of the New Orleans Saints.
First, there was the "death stare" between Peterson and Saints head coach Sean Payton in the first half of last weekend' season opener against the Vikings, which the coach later dismissed as "no big deal".
And then there's this, from Peterson, to reporters yesterday... "I didn't sign up for nine snaps. But unfortunately that's the way the game played out."
Actually, that's precisely what you signed up for. You didn't sign a contract to be anything more than what you're asked to do. And if Payton and the coaching staff signed you to be a backup running back, a clown in a circus performance or a glorified bench-warmer, then you're doing what they asked you to do.
First Sports is coming up this morning, across America at 9am ET on I Heart Radio and locally on the radio dial at AM1340/93.9FM.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Denver Broncos previews with Kristi Scales.
NFL and College Football best bets with Lee Sterling.
NASCAR chat with Sam Atwell.
Have a day!