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The Indiana Star‘s Gregg Doyel really stepped in it this week, as the sports reporter stole the headlines from Caitlin Clark’s introductory press conference with a question that many have said is both awkward and creepy.
During Clark’s first presser with the Indiana Fever, Doyel made a heart with his hands towards Clark.
“You like that?” Clark responded. “I like that you’re here,” Doyel said.
When Clark then explained that she does it every game for her family, Doyel still pressed forward and dropped the line that led to some calling for his job, saying “Start doing it to me and we’ll get along just fine.”
— Don Barzini (@DonBarziniXX) April 17, 2024
While Doyel has responded and apologized after the moment went viral, he remains firmly in the cultural hot seat nonetheless, as people have begun to dig up some of his questionable old tweets, such as the below, all of which are from the summer of 2010:
Just realized my LeBron column references masturbation, gang bangs and oral sex. Damn. I'm twisted.
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelStar) July 8, 2010
@JBRU23 Like sex with a dwarf. Fun, but only if nobody knows
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelStar) June 5, 2010
@ambersmom09 Are we talking about sex addiction as I look at your CLEAVAGE? Not that there's anything wrong with that
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelStar) July 28, 2010
@cdjames84 Farm animal sex is one thing. But sisters? Ewww
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelStar) August 20, 2010
In 2011, Doyel also posted some kind of podcast in which he said “Sex with women was discussed! (sigh)”
“Today in my uniquely oafish way, while welcoming Caitlin Clark to Indy, I formed my hands into her signature 🫶. My comment afterward was clumsy and awkward. I sincerely apologize. Please know my heart (literally and figuratively) was well-intentioned. I will do better,” Doyle wrote in a tweet after the moment went viral.
In his apology column — yes, he turned the moment into content — Doyel framed his exchange as merely being awkward because he’s an “oaf” who is “known locally for having awkward conversations with people before asking brashly conversational questions” (made sure to squeeze in a bizarre humblebrag, too).
“Clumsy and awkward is an interesting way to describe creepy and unprofessional,” says one of the top replies to his apology tweet.
Clark will officially begin her WNBA career when the Indiana Fever begins their 2024 season on Saturday, May 14. The WNBA will also welcome exciting rookies like Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso, Aaliyah Edwards, Angel Reese, and more to the league this season.