Sports journalist Jason Whitlock took to his own Instagram on Tuesday to share his thoughts on the outrage in the sports world over offensive, years-old leaked emails from Raiders coach Jon Gruden that ultimately led to his resignation.
His message? Grow a thicker skin.
Gruden slew the now exposed, unflattering commentary at everyone from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, (at the time) Vice President Joe Biden, female referees, former defensive back Eric Reid, and former Olympian Bruce Jenner, now Caitlyn Jenner.
Whitlock’s reaction on Instagram was to one comment in particular made by Gruden that elicited a harsh Twitter thread response from its target. The former Raiders coach wrote in an email chain in reference to NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith, “Dumboriss Smith has lips the size of Michelin tires.”
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“Are we, black men, so fragile that Gruden’s opinion on Smith’s enormous lips can reduce us to tears? I’m just not that fragile. The opinion of white men just isn’t that important to me,” Whitlock wrote in his post.
Smith however, appears to be very fragile, having taken the comments to heart and taken to his Twitter to address them.
“The email from Jon Gruden – and some of the reaction to it – confirms that the fight against racism, racist tropes and intolerance is not over,” the NFL Players Association Executive Director wrote, “This is not about an email as much as it is about a pervasive belief by some that people who look like me can be treated as less.”
Smith went on to claim that there is an inherent need that exists to protect the game of football above all else, including the values of “equality, inclusion and respect”.
(Source: Jason Whitlock)
“The powerful in our business have to embrace that football itself has to be better, as opposed to making excuses to maintain the status quo,” Smith continued.
Smith acknowledged that Gruden reached out to him and said that they would be speaking soon.
“The news is not about what is said in our private conversation, but what else is said by people who never thought they would be exposed and how they are going to be held to account,” Smith wrote in the conclusion of his thread in what appears to be a veiled support of cancel culture.
🧵 The email from Jon Gruden – and some of the reaction to it – confirms that the fight against racism, racist tropes and intolerance is not over. This is not about an email as much as it is about a pervasive belief by some that people who look like me can be treated as less.
— DeMaurice Smith (@demauricesmith) October 11, 2021
The email has also revealed why the comments by some with powerful platforms to explain this away are insidious and hypocritical. It is as if there is a need to protect football above the values of equality, inclusion and respect.
— DeMaurice Smith (@demauricesmith) October 11, 2021
The powerful in our business have to embrace that football itself has to be better, as opposed to making excuses to maintain the status quo.
— DeMaurice Smith (@demauricesmith) October 11, 2021
I appreciate that he reached out to me & I told him that we will connect soon, but make no mistake, the news is not about what is said in our private conversation, but what else is said by people who never thought they would be exposed and how they are going to be held to account
— DeMaurice Smith (@demauricesmith) October 11, 2021
While Gruden’s comments are by no means acceptable, DeMaurice Smith was hardly the only victim of the former NFL coach’s pointed commentary.
It is apparent that Gruden holds now-President Biden in ill-regard, having referred to him as a “nervous clueless p**sy,”
The former Raiders coach was even less fond of Roger Goodell, dubbing him a “f*ggot” and a “clueless anti football p**sy”.
Gruden, who found himself immediately at the mercy of the cancel culture jury, decided resignation was the best option for self-preservation.
“I have resigned as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction. Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff and fans of Raider Nation. I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone,” Gruden wrote on Twitter.
“I have resigned as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction. Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone.”
Jon Gruden
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) October 12, 2021
The former Raiders coach would have had six years left in a 10-year, $100 million contract. Raiders assistant coach Rich Bisaccia was named the team’s interim head coach.
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Kay Apfel is a writer for BizPac Review. A news junkie turned conservative politico, Kay currently resides in Washington, DC.
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