Writer's block

They say you learn something every day, and this week I've learned  a lot. I mean, a lot.

I've learned what was in Indianapolis Star  sports columnist Gregg Doyel's head the other day, for starters.

I've learned how a sports columnist should and shouldn't go about columnizing, and what his or her role should be, and some of it I've learned from people you'd never imagine had so much knowledge on the subject.

I've learned,  mostly, that Gregg Doyel should be fired immediately for what was in his head the other day, and for what it led to him doing. Which was gross and ridiculous and conduct unbecoming a professional sports columnist, and did we mention gross and ridiculous?

What he did was make the heart shape with his hands when it was his turn to ask Caitlin Clark a question. Same heart shape Clark makes toward her family after every game.

Then he said, "I'm glad you're here."

And then Clark said ,"Hey, I do that toward my family after every game."

And then Doyel said ,"Do it to me and we'll get along fine," or words to that effect.

And, yeah, again, just so you don't misunderstand (though you probably will), it was gross and skeevy and "ewww", and disrespectful  to Ms. Clark, and unprofessional in a "What the hell were you thinking?" sort of way.

There's no defending it. There's no defending him, at least in this instance. And I'm not doing that here no matter how you choose to interpret it.

What I am going to do is say it sure is amazing how much everyone seems to know about things they don't really know about.

For instance: I don't know Doyel well, but I have interacted with him several times in various pressboxes, and he seems like a decent guy. I also enjoy his work, generally -- though if I may presume to say so as not nearly so accomplished  a columnist, I think he leads too much with his emotions sometimes, and thus occasionally strays into the dreaded Maudlin Zone.

That said, having actually met the guy, I don't think he was trying to hit on Caitlin Clark the other day. I think it's absurd even to suggest such a thing, though that's never stopped people before.

I  think what he was doing was looking for an angle in his signature (and often inadvisable) personal way, and it backfired on him big time. Instead of an angle, he came off looking like some lovesick middle-aged man making a play for a woman young enough to be his daughter.

And, yeah, that's as "ewww" as "ewww" gets for sure.

But you know what?

I think Doyel probably knew it almost immediately, which he is why he came back with a damage-control column the next day that some people interpreted as insincere and self-serving but didn't strike me that way.  I also don't think, as some people did, it was another example of his GIANT EGO (as if everyone in the biz doesn't have an ego) trying to make it all about him -- for the excellent reason that this time it was about him, even if he made it so to begin with.

I don't think the guy's a pervert, as Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports labeled him. (Which is hilarious considering Portnoy is pretty skeevy himself, and his website is a notoriously toxic den of misogyny).  I also don't think what he did was some sweeping indictment of  the lack of respect the predominantly male sportswriting biz has for women athletes, because Doyel has the clips to prove he's a poor example of that.

And, no, I don't think he should be fired, as some of my former colleagues have demanded. I think his editor should call him into the office, close the door and say "What the hell were you thinking?", and then give him a two-week sitdown to come up with an answer.

(He might also suggest Doyel contact Clark and personally apologize to her, not just in print. Although he may have already reached out to her. I'm guessing he has.)

Look. I get it. In the flying circus that is America these days, the nuclear option is the only option for a lot of folks.  Overreaction and over-extrapolation are its meat and drink. There may certainly be times when overreaction is not overreaction and over-extrapolation not over-extrapolation, but not, you know, all the damn time.

I think this is one of those All The Damn Time times. Sorry not sorry.