Megthee

My first issue is with the situations outlined in the article:

The first question Brennan asks DiJonai seems mostly fair. It's a little weird to ask if someone intended to hit someone else but whatever. but the second question is deliberately inflammatory: by asking did you and marina kinda laugh about it afterwards, Dijonai's answer no longer matters--Brennan has linked the two moments. now i didnt watch this game (newer fan of wnba here), but did some research and the caitlin-dijonai thing happens during the first quarter. the marina-dijonai celebration happens during the fourth. So Brennan links the two events in her question as if they happened one after the other when in reality one happened about an hour after. It's an especially weird question considering dijonai's previous answer..if Brennan had asked the question as a follow-up to the first question then it doesn't make sense i.e. the second question linking the two events was gonna be asked no matter what dijonai says to the first q.

Brennan then says essentially "i was just asking questions, that's what journalists do!" and "this is what it means to be fair! to cover the league just like any other sport!" But im not sure asking a question where the answer does not matter is good reporting. and i don't think engaging in petty meta-narratives that pain Black athletes as combative and cruel is a show of respect.

brennan juxtaposes her questioning with Byrne asking Caitlin about the hit to suggest that everyone is asking valid questions! Caitlin had a good, non-combative answer why didn't Dijonai. But Byrne's question doesn't presuppose any fault on Dijonai's part. the question is not was that intentional but what do you say to people who think it was intentional. it's a small difference but it allows Byrne to bring in social media directly whereas brennan only does so in hindsight--saying her intention w question asking was to address social media.

then dewanna bonner comes over and says you disrespected my teammate. brennan includes that she tried to introduce herself to suggest that bonner is rude and overly aggressive. but like--if i came at someone who upset my teammate and they responded with hello my name is..i'd be annoyed too. address what i said!! i know who you are, now address what i said.

then we have a league official saying dijonai should not have essentially sicced dewanna on brennan. but there's no proof that's what dijonai did. i find it just as likely that dijonai went to dewanna upset at the interaction w brennan and her line of questioning and dewanna took it upon herself to say something to brennan. brennan have no way of knowing how it happened so repeat that from a league official uncriticially is not great. also very annoyed with that official for their comments..it's unprofessional and demeaning. i would say that in terms of exposure wnba athletes are more exposed than most. yes they are under-covered but when they do receive coverage, especially in a post-caitlin league, their every gesture is dissected as a sign of some great Black hatred and jealousy for the league's white savior.

why/how would a fever official know what voicemail dijonai left for nalyssa? are we just sharing voicenotes with colleagues now? is that a condition of employment?