Barstool founder urges USA Today to dismiss columnist over Caitlin Clark comparison

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy said on the "Varney & Co." program that USA Today columnist Nancy Armour should be fired for a piece that compared WNBA star Caitlin Clark’s disagreements with referees to the 1955 lynching of Emmett Till. Portnoy described the comparison as "the craziest thing" he has seen in two decades of sports coverage and suggested the author should be placed in a psychiatric facility, adding that firing alone would not be sufficient.

Armour’s column linked the controversy surrounding Clark – including claims that some fans view her disputes through a lens of protecting white women – to the historical violence against Black people, noting that the WNBA All-Star Game was scheduled for Chicago, the city where Till lived. She later issued an apology on social media, acknowledging that the comparison was “inartful” and lacked sufficient context, while maintaining that the broader issue of perceived threats toward white women being weaponized against Black Americans remains important.

Portnoy also called for the dismissal of the editor who approved the article, arguing that not every story should be framed around race. He emphasized that seeking racial explanations in every news item can lead to overreach.

"I think she should be fired. I think the editor who allowed this to be published should be fired," Portnoy said during the interview.

The controversy highlights ongoing debates about how sports commentary addresses race and historical references.