Last week, ESPN anchor Sage Steele went on former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler’s podcast and had a wide-ranging conversation.
The two discussed ESPN’s vaccine mandate, former president Barack Obama, and women in media.
And Sage finds herself in trouble as a result of every single topic covered.
When discussing Obama, Steele said that she found it “fascinating” that Obama — who is biracial, as is Steele — identifies as a black man, as Steele identifies as both white and black.
According to The Daily Wire, “The commentary was raised when Steele recalled a colleague asking her to ‘choose’ to identify as either black or white, noting that Obama identified himself as black on the census back in 2010.”
“I think that’s fascinating considering his black dad was nowhere to be found, but his white mom and grandma raised him,” Steele said. “But hey, you do you. I’m going to do me.”
Steele also discussed women in the media, and how they deal with inappropriate comments from athletes, putting some of the onus on women to be aware of the way they present themselves.
“When you dress like that, I’m not saying you deserve the gross comments, but you know what you’re doing when you’re putting that outfit on too,” Steele said. “Women are smart, so don’t play coy and put it all on the guys … and again, I’m not saying anyone deserves anything. But, we need to be responsible as women too, because we know what we’re doing when we put certain things on.”
Sage Steele believes women “need to be responsible as well” for inappropriate comments directed at them.
Sage tells young women, “when you dress like that, I’m not saying you deserve the gross comments, but you know what you’re doing when you put that outfit on too.” pic.twitter.com/6CrxOoXILN
— Resist Programming 🛰 (@RzstProgramming) October 4, 2021
As could be expected, the blue checkmark brigade on the Left pounced, including former ESPN anchor and The Atlantic writer Jemele Hill.
“So on top of thinking former President Obama shouldn’t identify as black because he didn’t have a relationship with his black father, Sage Steele also thinks female journalists who dress a certain way ‘know what you’re doing when you’re putting that outfit on,’” Hill posted to Twitter.
“Clown behavior.”
So on top of thinking former President Obama shouldn’t identify as black because he didn’t have a relationship with his black father, Sage Steele also thinks female journalists who dress a certain way “know what you’re doing when you’re putting that outfit on.”
Clown behavior. pic.twitter.com/edgTVopQqg
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 3, 2021
For those that are not aware, Hill has never been afraid to express her political opinions, calling former President Donald Trump a “white supremacist” in September 2017.
Though Hill was not suspended for her comments on Trump, she was suspended for two weeks by the company in October 2017 after suggesting that people should boycott businesses associated with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones after he said that players who disrespected the flag would not play for the Cowboys.
In February 2021, Hill called for the end of the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at sporting events, arguing that it has become a “weaponized” patriotic symbol, according to The Daily Wire.
Hill also wrote on the NBA’s decision to require Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to play the National Anthem before games, calling on the league to “revisit its anthem rule.”
“The Mavericks should have held their ground because playing the anthem shouldn’t be a pregame ritual in American sports,” Hill wrote. “Not during a time when many people—including many athletes of color—are deeply uncomfortable with how patriotic symbols have been weaponized to undermine and diminish the humanity of Black and brown Americans.”
“Instead of forcing Cuban’s team to back down, the NBA as a whole should revisit its anthem rule. Other leagues should do the same. The ritual enforces a rote, narrow idea of patriotism—one that pro sports should be working to change, not uphold,” she continued.
Steele’s comments on her company’s vaccine policy also drew the ire of the Left.
Steele weighed in on ESPN’s requirement for employees to be vaccinated, calling it “sick” and “scary.”
“I work for a company that mandates it and I had until September 30th to get it done or I’m out,” Steele said.
“I respect everyone’s decision, I really do, but to mandate it is sick and it’s scary to me in many ways,” Steele continued. “I just, I’m not surprised it got to this point, especially with Disney, I mean a global company like that.”
According to Front Office Sports, Steele will not appear on SportsCenter this week and will not be a host of the upcoming espnW: Women + Sports Summit. While FOS reports that Steele has tested positive for COVID, her recent comments on Cutler’s podcast are also playing a role in her absence.
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].