I am going to give you a scoop, something that ESPN will never admit, but I know it is true because I spoke to some people inside of the company about it.
While there are legit people who aren’t a fan of ESPN getting in bed with Barstool Sports, there are others who are loving the back and forth that is going on between Sam Ponder and Barstool.
Essentially they see it as free promotion for Big Cat & PFT new show on ESPN 2. So unintentionally Ponder did ESPN a favor and they won’t do anything to stop the beef, if anything they hope it continues with more personalities getting involved.
It all started with this.
Welcome to the ESPN family @BarstoolBigCat (& welcome to all ur minions who will respond to this so kindly) pic.twitter.com/AzgfdDx2FK
— Samantha Steele Ponder (@samponder) October 16, 2017
Ponder planned this, but messed up the execution by calling out Big Cat when he wasn’t the one who wrote the article, but she still doubled down on it.
I was wrong in thinking @BarstoolBigCat wrote that article & called me a slut repeatedly. He just continuously laughed along. It was the PRESIDENT of @barstoolsports who said these things. Happy to clarify.
— Samantha Steele Ponder (@samponder) October 17, 2017
One issue we are seeing when people speak out against something on Twitter is that their own history on Twitter will come into play.
We saw it with the reporter in the Cam Newton incident and also with the former co-owner of Fansided Adam Best who went after Barstool.
Some of Ponder’s old tweets came to light courtesy of Barstool’s owner Dan Portnoy,
Welcome to the mud. pic.twitter.com/55zX5lUjYw
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) October 17, 2017
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) October 17, 2017
Portnoy’s point to Ponder and Best was don’t throw stones if you live in a glass house, but it also brings into play do two wrongs make a right?
Also, Barstool certainly doesn’t shy away from what they are, so should your anger be towards them or the companies that have no problem using their popularity for their own gain like ESPN?
While you ponder that, no pun intended, flip the pages to see what Ponder had to say about her old tweets on Twitter and if you feel it is a reasonable explanation.