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Tennessee Titans revamped their mascot and social media certainly had some thoughts
It's a time of change for the Tennessee Titans. The team has a new stadium getting ready to open next year, and recently showed off some new threads that really scream, "Yeah, we used to be the Houston Oilers. What of it?"
So, with so much change, reimagining and upgrading happening within the organization, apparently they decided that the team's mascot, T-Rac, an anthropomorphic raccoon, needed a makeover as well.
And, as you may have expected, the citizens of social media had some thoughts.
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Now, while the T-Rac revamp had likely been in the works for quite some time, the Titans couldn’t have picked a better time to unveil it.
Why? Because raccoon stock has never been higher, what with internet sensation Jimothy taking over to the point of getting his own theme night at a Seattle Mariners game.
So, now people are really into raccoons, even if all they usually do is pick through garbage bins and spread the contents all over the alley behind my house.
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But, to that point, fans have strong feelings when it comes to the change, and while some liked T-Rac 2.0, his more realistic look was not met with unanimous approval online.
I can see both sides of this one.
On one hand, it seems like a waste of breath to get worked up over the mascot.
On the other, I still haven't forgiven the AHL's Hershey Bears for making their mascot, Cocoa, all trim and fit, instead of fat and jovial like he was in my youth.
That happened like fifteen years ago.
I feel like this is always the reaction to a new mascot. I mean, for the first 24 hours that Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty existed, he was reviled.
Then he fell on the ice, shot a Rangers fan with a T-shirt cannon, threatened to kill the Pittsburgh Penguins mascot, and — what do you know? — he practically became a god in Philadelphia.
I think it's just a matter of time before all Titans fans are willing to take a bullet for T-Rac 2.0...
...unless this season gets off to a bad start, in which case he might become the scapegoat (scaperaccoon?).
James Carville predicts 2028 Democratic primary will test true strength of party's socialist wing
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville told Fox News Digital that 2028 will decide the future of the Democratic Party, not 2026, saying all he can do is try to advise them not to make the wrong choice.
In recent months, there has been a rising faction of far-left Democratic candidates winning primaries in multiple states, and some more moderate figures are alarmed.
"I am not going to be in the same party with Hasan Piker," Carville said on "The Sunday Briefing" referring to a streamer who has made controversial statements like claiming America deserved 9/11, something he later backtracked on. "If he becomes a force in a Democratic Party, I'm out of here. I have no intention of ever being in the same political party with that guy."
In the following days, Carville spoke to Fox News Digital about how the party stands at a historic crossroads. But he advises that 2028 will be the real test of the far-left's strength.
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"This I believe 100 percent — the future direction of the Democratic Party is going to be decided by Democratic primary voters in 2028," he said.
"Everyone claims they're the ascendant ring, alright, on the 2028 presidential election, and this can only be resolved at the presidential level. It cannot be resolved at the state level," he said. "And I am sure that there will be robust representation from the DSA ring of the party, whatever you want to call it. I'm sure there'll be a robust number of candidates from what I would call the governing wing of the Democratic Party, but you call it what you want."
He asserted again that this is a matter of politics that must be decided by the base of the party itself. The 2028 primary promises to be a crowded contest, with figures ranging from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Gavin Newsom to Pete Buttigieg to Kamala Harris to Rahm Emanuel among those expected to vie for the nomination.
"And this can't be solved through op-ed pieces, it can't be solved through cable TV network packages, panels, it can only, and that's the way it should be, that the Democrats themselves have got to settle on the direction of their party, and they're going to have all the options, and we'll see just how popular this is," he said.
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When later asked about what would happen if the democratic socialist wing takes power, he repeated his past prediction that there will have to be a "schism" in the official party.
"I'm going to let Democratic voters determine the direction the party goes in, and if it goes in the direction of — I'm pretty confident it won't, but if it goes in that direction, then I'm going to be 82. OK, fine, go ahead, but not with me," he said. "Until Democratic voters choose the direction of the party, I'll try to do all I can to help them make the right choice, in my opinion."
‘Sopranos’ stars reunite in emotional farewell for Vincent Pastore
Years after "The Sopranos" came to an end, its stars reunited for a heartbreaking reason — to say goodbye to Vincent Pastore.
Pastore was laid to rest Thursday in New York, surrounded by family and friends. His "Sopranos" co-star, Steven Van Zandt, served as a pallbearer, helping carry the late actor to his final resting place. Pastore's casket was draped with an American flag in honor of his time serving in the Navy.
Pastore's daughter remembered the man best known for the role of Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero as "a giving person."
"He was a man who lived out his dreams … but he knew how lucky he was," she said during the emotional funeral, Page Six reported.
'THE SOPRANOS' ACTOR VINCENT PASTORE DEAD AT 80
"I think that’s why he tried to share as much of it with as many people as possible," she added. "Whether that was a big tip, always in cash, or by shaking hands with every cop on every corner."
Van Zandt told the outlet he kept in touch with Pastore "quite often" before his death.
"We just happened to call him two days ago. The day before he died, we luckily just happened to call him," he said, referring to him and wife Maureen. "He was one of a kind, and we’ll miss him very much."
Days after his death, the actor's "right-hand man," Stephen Villano, told the Post Pastore was nothing like the character he often portrayed on the screen.
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"He said, ‘I’m an actor. I play a character.’ So, people would think that this is the man, but that wasn’t the man," he said. "The man was generous, he was kind, he was caring," Villano said.
"He cared about his neighbors, he cared about charities, he cared about fundraisers."
Villano said Pastore supported veterans in the Bronx, U.S. troops and the police department.
"He supported St. Jude’s [Children’s Research Hospital], and he supported the NYPD," Villano added. "Widows, orphans, their Christmas parties … all the time, back the blue."
"Vinny passed away either yesterday or today at home in The Bronx," his manager, Robert Attermann, said.
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"I had the privilege of representing Vinny for more than 30 years, long before 'The Sopranos' made him a household name," he added. "To the world, he will always be remembered as the unforgettable 'Big Pussy,' but to those of us who knew him, he was so much more."
In addition to Pastore's role on "The Sopranos," the actor also appeared in "Blue Bloods," "Law & Order," "General Hospital," "Bull," "Pair of Kings," "Hawaii Five-0" and most recently lent his voice on an episode of "Yellowjackets."
He also appeared in a number of movies, including "Goodfellas," "A Bronx Tale," "Carlito's Way," "Gotti," "Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn," "Mickey Blue Eyes" and others.
"He loved being an actor," Attermann said. "He was passionate about his craft and was always encouraging, respectful and generous with young actors, taking the time to offer guidance and support whenever he could."
Fox News Digital's Lori Bashian contributed to this report.
Carrie Underwood still has her Sunday Night Football fastball, awkward Jim Harbaugh & Baywatch Livvy Dunne!
'Nightcaps' is a daily column that catches you up on the biggest sports, news and culture stories you may have missed while pretending to do work at your desk. It runs Monday–Friday on OutKick.com.
First weekend of August. We've made it. The NFL is BACK. My Red Sox haven't lost a game since the Biden Administration. Carrie Underwood and Cris Collinsworth were both on my TV last night.
It's not possible to have it any better than us today. The momentum is through the roof right now. I can feel it in my bones.
I think we're in for a special weekend. Let's roll.
Welcome to a Friday Nightcaps — the one where Carrie returns for Year 14 and has NFL fans ready to run through a brick wall.
What else? I've got the return of Collinsworth memes (my favorite fall tradition), Jim Harbaugh with an all-time response on Colin Cowherd's show, and does this look like the face of a woman who wants transgenders in women's sports?
Yes, it does! You'll see.
Grab some Zucchini for National Sneak Some Zucchini Into Your Neighbor's Porch Day — seriously — and settle in for a Friday 'Cap!
There really is a day for everything, isn't there? What a day! Who knew?
For those who want more info — how could you not? — SSZIYPD "offers gardeners a way to rid themselves of extra produce. For some, this day offers a way to rid their garden of an overproducing squash plant."
That, of course, is according to Google, which also tells me that this holiday was started by Tom Roy at wellcat.com after doing years of news & talk radio.
No idea who Tom Roy from wellcat.com is, but I'm all in. I'd gladly take a zucchini on my front porch today. I'm not expecting one, but what a delight it would be!
OK, that's enough produce talk. Let's get this class started with Carrie Underwood and NBC teasing the new anthem for the upcoming NFL season during last night's THRILLING Hall of Fame game:
There's been a lot of chatter about folks not happy that Carrie Underwood is back for a 14th year on Sunday Night Football.
That's nonsense. As OutKick's unofficial Carrie Underwood—SNF reporter, I can assure you this is fake news. Yes, I'm aware Fox had a story on this yesterday.
That did not come from this department. It's a big house, folks.
Anyway, Carrie is back, the vibe has shifted back to a more rock 'n' roll theme this season, and all is well once again.
"This season, we’ve drawn inspiration from Carrie’s deep, well-documented love of rock music — a perfect fit since our Sunday Night Football anthem was born from pure rock ‘n’ roll: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ ‘I Hate Myself for Loving You,’" said Tripp Dixon, creative director for the SNF opening theme.
"We’ve worked to match these two rock frequencies of past and present as they come together in Carrie’s high-energy performance. The greatest players and teams in the NFL will take it from there."
Amen, Tripp. And yes, Carrie can still very much sling the fastball at 43. Elite stuff.
Speaking of ... let's welcome back another member of Sunday Night Football — Cris Collinsworth!
More importantly, the return of Collinsworth memes:
Lordy. How great was Tirico last night, by the way? Is he the best announcer in the game right now?
I think I'd go:
You could probably throw Ian Eagle, Joe Davis, and even Al Michaels in there, even though Al doesn't quite have the zip on his fastball that Carrie still has on hers.
Of course, as a miserable Dolphins fan, I've grown used to Andrew Catalon. We get him about 12 times a year. Still better than dramatic Jim Nantz!
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OK, let's rapid-fire this Friday class into a big weekend. First up? Just an all-time moment here between Colin Cowherd and Jim Harbaugh earlier this week:
Amazing. I have no earthly idea what Jim is trying to say, but I very much enjoyed the journey from Point A to Point B.
"Evolvement ... is that a word? Is that a word, Colin?"
Colin:
Good stuff. What a wild little ride.
Next? Speaking of wild rides ...
These girls are just insane.
That was Golden State's Gabby Williams back in May, saying she would welcome a transgender player on her team. With a straight face!
And then, of course, she plays the predictable, "it's not really an issue" card. Folks, I've said it before and I'll say it again now:
If you meet someone from the "it never happens" crowd, you will know right away that you have a fraud on your hands. It's the easiest way to weed one out. It's straight out of the left's playbook.
AB Hernandez has been dominating high school athletes all year long. Becky Pepper-Jackson won a girls' state championship in West Virginia in May.
You had volleyball player Blaire Fleming at SJSU. You had the Imane Khelif situation two summers ago in the Olympics. There was the high school trans pitcher in Minnesota who had a fastball that would make Nolan Ryan do a double-take.
Just this week, it came out that the brother of Olympian Alysa Liu is a transgender athlete in California, competing in track and field and girls’ varsity basketball.
But no, it's not a problem! Okeedokee, Gabby! Enjoy the sandbox.
OK, that's it for today — and this week. Good work, everyone. First week of August in the books. Let's stay hot this weekend.
Football is back. And so is Baywatch!
Take us home, Livvy.
Is it a problem? Email me at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com.
Beachgoers warned after deadly 'flesh-eating' bacteria kills 5 in southern state
A potentially deadly "flesh-eating" bacteria has killed five people in Louisiana this year, a sharp rise from the state’s typical death toll.
Health officials are warning beachgoers to take extra precautions before heading into the water.
Vibrio vulnificus is part of a wider group of Vibrio bacteria. Found primarily in warm, coastal waters, it can cause serious, potentially life-threatening infections when contaminated seawater enters an open wound, according to the CDC.
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Infections can also occur when someone eats raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters.
The Louisiana Department of Health has reported nine cases and five deaths so far this year. All nine cases were linked to people entering seawater with open wounds, and all of the infected patients had existing medical conditions, officials said.
In previous years, the state has averaged seven cases and one death.
Vibrio bacteria are found in higher numbers from May to October, when water temperatures are warmer, the health department noted.
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Although infections are rare, Vibrio vulnificus can cause an illness called vibriosis, often marked by vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain, as well as potentially severe skin infections.
"People with severe infections may require intensive care or limb amputation," Louisiana health officials warned. "About one in five people with Vibrio vulnificus infection dies, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill."
Initial signs and symptoms of a Vibrio skin infection include fever, redness, pain, swelling, warmth, discoloration and discharge, per the CDC.
While healthy people generally experience only mild symptoms, those who are immunocompromised or have chronic liver disease can face serious health risks.
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If Vibrio vulnificus enters the bloodstream, it can cause advanced illness marked by fever, chills, septic shock and blistering skin lesions.
Some severe cases can cause an infection called necrotizing fasciitis, which is when the flesh around an open wound dies, the CDC cautions. This rare side effect has led to Vibrio vulnificus being described as "flesh-eating bacteria."
The bacterial infection is diagnosed by testing cultures obtained from stool, wounds or blood, according to health officials.
For mild infections, the CDC recommends increasing fluid intake to prevent dehydration.
Those with severe or prolonged infections should receive antibiotics to improve survival rates.
For patients with infected wounds, surgery may be necessary to remove dead tissue.
About one in five people will die from the infection, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill, the CDC states.
Health officials caution against entering warm saltwater or brackish water if any fresh cuts, scrapes or wounds are present.
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It’s also recommended to avoid consuming raw oysters and other raw shellfish, and to avoid cross-contamination of other foods with raw seafood or its juices.
Protective gloves should be worn when handling raw shellfish.
Those with liver disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV or thalassemia (a group of hereditary blood disorders) — as well as those who are taking immune-suppressing medications — are at a higher risk of complications and should take extra precautions, the CDC warns.
The men who fled these socialist regimes have a terrifying warning
In the midst of sunshine and a summer breeze, in the land of the free and home of the brave, sit three men, all immigrants who fled their "Third World" countries running on the "nightmare" of socialist policies.
"The record in my city was once that we ha[d] three days long without electricity. There were shortage[s] of water like every day. … It's a disaster," Emmanuel Rincón, who fled Venezuela in 2017, told Fox News Digital.
"If you live in the USA … you are never going to experience that, and you're never going to be able to understand that.
"I have spent almost all my life under the Chavismo [Hugo Chavez] rule, and my family were always in opposition of the regime. So, I always understand the nightmare that socialism is."
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"In Cuba, there is no water, no electricity, no freedom, no food, no salary, no clothes, no shoes, nothing," Eliécer Ávila, a Cuban immigrant living in Florida who fled the island in 2017 said.
"And the little that there is is what [families living in the U.S.] send from here."
Ávila and his family were heavily censored, and they were fired from their jobs and banned from Havana, the capital of his home island, after a video was leaked to the BBC of him asking a series of "uncomfortable questions" to Ricardo Alarcón.
Alarcón is the former minister of foreign affairs in Cuba who was, at the time, the president of the national assembly of the country.
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"I was persona non grata inside the capital in my own country. From there, I started a movement of young people and students that were pro-democracy … which put me in jail more than 40 times," Ávila shared.
During that time, he was invited to a Latin American Studies Association (LASA) event with activists and human rights defenders from around the world.
"After I came back [from that trip], the dictatorship didn’t let me enter back in, and they put me in one of the 50 most wanted terrorists. Me, who doesn’t even have a traffic violation, just because I wanted freedom for Cuba," he said.
Gene Maine, an immigrant who escaped the Soviet Union with his mother in 1981, expressed a similar sentiment.
"[Growing up] I started noticing that all the propaganda on TV — the two channels that we had — didn't look right. It seemed like it was a lie. We grew up in what turned out to be the Third World," Maine said.
"All the trumpeting on the street of how great this is, how this is the best, how evil America is, how evil Western Europe is and how evil capitalism is. People realized that they couldn't speak freely.
"There was no religion. The only religion allowed was communism, which is a religion. Let's not have any doubts about it. It is a religion, it replaces Christianity, Judaism. That's the environment I grew up in," Maine said.
"These are not only dictators. They are also narco-terrorists. These are really dangerous people," Rincón added about Venezuela.
"I ha[d] to take out all my family from Venezuela. This is my history, but there are millions of histories like this in Venezuela. These are the things that the people in the USA (don't) really understand about socialism."
Former DNC Vice Chair David Hogg claims Democratic moderates 'don't have the right values'
Former Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg told moderate Democrats they "don't have the right values" Thursday during an appearance on "The Source," arguing the party establishment is repeatedly losing because its priorities are out of step with Americans as progressive candidates score primary victories ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Hogg made his sharpest criticism after host Kaitlan Collins asked what he would tell moderates concerned that progressive nominees could struggle against Republicans in general elections.
"The reason why the establishment of our party is being defeated over and over and over again is because they don't have the right values that are aligned with not the Democratic base, but the American people," Hogg said. "Where people are sick and tired of listening to Democrats and tell them all the reasons why they can't solve their problems."
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Hogg told moderates they needed to change their approach rather than ask successful progressive candidates to move toward the center.
"I would say to the moderates in our party, 'You need to figure out how to actually offer something new to voters that isn't just the same message that you gave them in 2024,'" Hogg said.
Steven Bonnell II, the liberal streamer known as "Destiny," pushed back on Hogg's assessment in a statement to Fox News Digital, saying he does not believe the former DNC official represents rank-and-file Democrats.
"I would say that this is outside of the Democratic Party's mainstream views," Destiny said. "Polls seem to evidence this, with a plurality (or majority, in some cases) of Democratic voters feeling as though the party has moved too far to the left."
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Destiny, who has repeatedly criticized the party's far-left socialist wing, said Hogg's comments were an example of a dynamic that allows progressives to attack moderates without facing similar scrutiny from within the party.
"People in the Democratic Party's extreme fringe have created a ‘ratchet effect,’ where you cannot criticize anyone to the left-of-moderate view point," Destiny said. "Those same people can infinitely attack the moderate wing, leading outsiders (and even people from within) to view the Democratic Party as far more extreme than it actually is."
He warned that a Democratic Party that decides its moderates do not share its values could face consequences at the ballot box.
"I think it would mean the Democratic Party would probably have a hugely difficult time succeeding in the upcoming general in 2028 and possibly even stumble in 2026," Destiny said. "Which is especially ridiculous given how low Trump's popularity is at the moment."
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Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville has taken the opposite side of the party's ideological battle, telling Fox News Digital Thursday that Democratic primary voters would ultimately reject the socialist wing.
"I think it's more likely than not that the Democrats embrace sanity," Carville said.
Carville said a takeover by the socialist wing could ultimately fracture the party, reiterating comments he has made amid the growing influence of figures including self-described socialist streamer Hasan Piker.
"That probably would result in some kind of schism in the party," Carville said. "I'm going to let Democratic voters determine the direction that party goes in, and if it goes in the direction — which I'm pretty confident it won't — but if it goes in that direction, then I'm going to be 82. OK, fine, go ahead, but not with me."
Carville has also said he would leave the party if Piker became a significant force within it, while Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., responded that Carville could "start his own party."
Fox News Digital reached out to the DNC for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Fox News Digital's Alexander Hall contributed to this article.
Duke Law's alleged race-based admissions accused of defying Supreme Court ruling: DOJ
The Justice Department is accusing Duke University School of Law of favoring Black and Hispanic applicants over White and Asian applicants with the same academic records in its admissions process, which the Trump administration argues the law school used to meet its "diversity goals."
"Duke Law School doesn’t get a free pass to discriminate against white and Asian students simply because it thinks it has good intentions," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said.
In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard (SFFA) that it was unconstitutional for colleges and higher education institutions to consider a student's race in their admissions processes. The decision prompted the Trump administration to open investigations into alleged race-based discrimination at dozens of colleges and universities.
The Civil Rights Division, which began investigating Duke Law in April 2025, found that Black applicants who applied in 2025 had roughly 3.5 times the chance of admission as Asian applicants with the same academic credentials, according to a Justice Department letter sent to Duke Law. Investigators found that the median LSAT score for accepted Black applicants was lower than the median score for rejected Asian and White applicants.
"This consistent difference in the test scores between students of different racial groups is substantial and cannot be explained by a coincidence," the letter stated. "The magnitude and durability of these preferences across multiple cycles (including post-SFFA) confirm intentional discrimination."
The Trump administration’s review of internal communications found that the law school began preparing for the Supreme Court’s SFFA ruling so its admissions process could continue "to meet the Law School's goals for a broadly diverse student body."
For instance, Duke Law's post-SFFA guidance for admissions allowed officials to "consider applicants' discussion of how race affected their life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise." Applicants provided these discussions in short-answer essays, where admissions officials could then "tag" the responses to provide context for weaker academic records when evaluating applicants.
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Duke Law states that it values "students with a wide range of experiences, backgrounds, and interests that may not be directly related to their legal ambitions," encouraging applicants to "highlight different elements" of who they are.
"Using ‘diversity’ essay questions to identify preferred races for admission is still illegal discrimination based on race, and this Department is committed to eliminating it everywhere we find it, including in our nation’s law schools," Dhillon said in a statement.
After SFFA, Duke Law admissions continued to release reports highlighting the school's diversity and its efforts to achieve "race-neutral" admissions standards. In a May 2024 annual review, the associate dean of admissions highlighted the diversity of the incoming fall 2023 class, including the number of Latino, Black and Asian or Asian American students.
In the school's 2025 Annual Review Memorandum, the admissions dean suggested that the law school can gauge the diversity of its student body by observing students on campus rather than compiling formal statistics.
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A Duke University spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the university is aware of the Justice Department's allegations.
"The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division issued a letter of findings related to Duke Law’s admissions practices. We are reviewing the letter and its conclusions carefully. Duke is committed to complying with the law and will continue to do so in a manner that is consistent with our academic mission," a Duke University spokesperson said.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department for additional comment.
EXCLUSIVE: Title IX defender Payton McNabb praises Sophie Cunningham, reacts to Caitlin Clark
Long before Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham challenged the conversation surrounding women's sports, Payton McNabb was living its consequences.
A high school volleyball match changed McNabb's life. Years later, she sees Cunningham taking on a fight that has followed her all the way to Capitol Hill.
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After suffering a traumatic brain injury and partial paralysis on her right side from a ball spiked by a biological male opponent, McNabb took her fight from a North Carolina volleyball court to Washington, where she has testified before lawmakers in defense of women's sports and Title IX.
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Now 21, McNabb sees that same battle reaching the WNBA and believes the league's response is exposing a glaring double standard.
Speaking exclusively with OutKick, McNabb applauded Cunningham for taking a stand, ripped Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve over her support for transgender inclusion and explained why Caitlin Clark's voice could carry enormous weight with the next generation of female athletes.
"I started speaking out when I was 18," McNabb told OutKick. "I'm 21 now, but within the last few years, why have I had to go in front of Congress and explain that there's a biological difference between a man and a woman? It makes no sense, and it sounds like such a dumb argument."
Cunningham's willingness to speak out has particularly impressed McNabb, especially as the Fever guard's profile has soared.
"What we've seen through Sophie Cunningham has been so courageous," McNabb said. "I just applaud her so much because it takes a lot to say this, unfortunately, and it shouldn't, but it does."
"For her to say it now and not wait until it's safe ... and her career is really taking off, I think it just adds a whole other layer on top of how special it really is," McNabb continued. "We don't really have a lot of big-name athletes willing to say it, and that's really unfortunate, but that's just the way it is. But it's because of how they get treated."
McNabb pointed to the backlash Cunningham has received as evidence of that risk.
"She's getting vilified or villainized for literally just saying what everyone already knows and thinks, but are just too afraid to admit," McNabb said. "It's just crazy because there wouldn't be a WNBA. We wouldn't know who [Lynx coach] Cheryl Reeve is or even Sophie Cunningham or any of these girls if it wasn't for Title IX."
McNabb had far less praise for Reeve, who has publicly defended trans participation in sports and wore a Trans Kids Belong shirt during a matchup against Cunningham and the Fever to prove it.
"It just seems like women like Cheryl Reeve who were fighting against other women and girls, I just will never understand that," McNabb said. "You have little girls who are showing up to the game and excited about their favorite player standing up for them and wanting the same opportunities that she has to be in place for them. And the coach seems to be pulling up the ladder."
McNabb called out the glaring hypocrisy of demanding empowerment for female athletes while simultaneously opening the door for biological men to take their spots.
"You can't complain on one hand about not getting as much as the men or not getting as many opportunities or viewers ... and then on the next, you're encouraging men to take over the very category you're wanting separate from them," McNabb said.
McNabb predicted the league's virtue signaling will evaporate the second a biological male steps onto a WNBA court and forces players to face reality.
McNabb pointed to Julie Tétart, a 6-foot-3 biological male dominating a French women's league who (with the help of OutKick's Joe Kinsey and founder Clay Travis) recently signaled interest in making the jump to the WNBA.
"I think it's gonna have to take this dude from France to come in here and like dunk on Angel Reese and then maybe they'll be like, 'Oh, maybe this isn't allowed,'" McNabb said. "I don't know. It's going to have to affect them personally."
Make no mistake: McNabb isn't rooting for biological men to wreck the WNBA. She wants these athletes protected, even if they won't fight for themselves.
"Of course, I don't want that to happen," she said. "I'm fighting for the girls that are even going against us because I want them to have the protections and the opportunities whether they like it or not."
McNabb challenged the league's progressive establishment to put its money where its mouth is: if biological males belong in girls' high school athletics, they belong in WNBA coaching spots, too.
"I want transgender coaches," McNabb said. "I think that there should be a transgender coach taking Cheryl Reeve's place because that will be just as much of a woman as she is. ... If they're saying this is okay for the high school girls, then it should be okay for them."
Then there's Caitlin Clark.
THE LEFT WANTS CAITLIN CLARK, SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM TO SHUT UP AND DRIBBLE WHEN IT COMES TO TRANS SPORTS
McNabb understands why the Fever superstar has largely kept the focus on basketball rather than wading into another contentious issue.
"She gets a lot of backlash for literally no reason, from jealousy," McNabb said. "I could imagine not wanting more of that would probably be ideal."
Still, McNabb believes Clark's enormous influence makes her part of the Title IX debate whether she addresses it publicly or not.
"Whether Caitlin Clark likes it, she's a part of the conversation, and it would just mean so much to the next generation," McNabb said. "To all the little girls in the stands that are wearing number 22, it would mean a lot to them."
Few voices in women's basketball, McNabb argues, could carry more weight.
"She's the best player in the WNBA, and for her to be able to take a stance and say something, that would be huge," McNabb said. "She's where she is today because of Title IX, and she needs to be able to acknowledge that and accept that and want that for the next generation of girls."
For McNabb, the issue remains deeply personal.
More than three years after the volleyball injury that changed her life, McNabb said her health has finally reached a significant turning point.
"The doctors didn't know if I would ever get back to how I was, and they said it could take three years before I could see real progress," McNabb said. "It's so weird, because it actually took exactly three years for me to see a difference in coming back and bouncing back with my health."
The teenager who once failed public speaking has since testified before Congress and become an Independent Women ambassador, using the injury that changed her life to try to prevent other girls from enduring the same thing.
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"I wasn't planning on going into politics, really had no idea what was going on at all," McNabb said. "I just had a genuine story that happened to a real person and affected a real family and community."
"I've really just tried to use the story to spread awareness in hopes no other girl has to go through what I went through."
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
Former NBA first round pick Enes Kanter Freedom declares for 2027 WNBA Draft
Former NBA Draft first round pick (3rd overall in 2011) Enes Kanter Freedom, who has been an adamant opponent of LeBron James, the Chinese Communist Party, Nike, along with more political activism, which he believes blackballed him from the NBA, has officially declared himself a prospect for the 2027 WNBA Draft. Yes, I’m serious.
In the aftermath of Sophie Cuningham making a definitive stance that women’s sports should remain female, many coaches and players have opened up the floodgates for men in their league. Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Willliams even said, "I would welcome a trans athlete on my team or against my team any time." Throughout this whole saga, the WNBA has remained silent about protecting fairness in their league, so Freedom is putting their feet to the fire in a hilarious way.
JD VANCE PRAISES SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM FOR 'SAVE WOMEN'S SPORTS' ACTIVISM
"If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA," Freedom stated in a social media post seated behind a studio desk wearing an orange WNBA sweatshirt with the Nike logo crossed out.
Outkick contributor Riley Gaines called the declaration "genius" and "perfect", while sarcastically saying, "Waiting to see which WNBA team recruits Enes Freedom."
Freedom, who hasn’t played in the NBA since being waived by the Houston Rockets in 2022 following a trade from the Boston Celtics went on to say, "My team and I have carefully reviewed the WNBA’s eligibility criteria and government framework surrounding self identification and inclusion."
According to Freedom, "Based on the current guidelines, I can and am officially declaring my eligibility for the upcoming WNBA Draft in May 2027."
The way I see it, what makes this any different than Lia Thomas at UPenn? When going by the name Will Thomas, he spent three seasons on the men’s team before transitioning to the female team and division.
The WNBA has also undoubtedly asked for this. Now is the time for them to put their money where their mouth is. If you’re really so "inclusive," you should have no problem with this.
If he identifies as a woman, who are they to tell him who he is? Who are they to tell him if this is genuine or not? This is a great way to put their feet to the fire. It has the opportunity to show that all of this "trans acceptance" talk is just virtue signaling.
"I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices," Freedom added. "I’m simply asking that the current rules be applied equally to everyone - the rules that represent the very values many WNBA players and coaches have publicly advocated for."
WNBA STAR SAYS SHE WOULD WELCOME A TRANS PLAYER TO HER TEAM, AND THEN SAYS SOMETHING EVEN DUMBER
Bingo! That is exactly right.
Players like Gabby Williams, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, Seattle Storm center Stefanie Dolson, and the majority of WNBA fans have made it clear they are supportive of men in women’s sports.
Freedom wrapped up his WNBA Draft announcement stating, "My team and I are prepared to ensure these guidelines are applied equally, consistently, and without exception, and I look forward to the WNBA honoring its stated principles. See you at training camp." The WNBA will now have to put their foot down to protect the fairness, integrity and safety of their league, or allow their progressive politics to ruin it.
This whole situation will be hilarious to witness. If the league allows Freedom to be eligible, irrationally sticking to their anti-women progressive politics, but no team drafts Freedom in April 2027, it could be seen as discrimination. If they say their sport is for females only, they run into the fury of their liberal foundation, which many of their fans, players, and coaches hold to.
This’ll be a great way to expose the hypocrisy or idiocy of the progressive movement ingrained in the league.
Your move, WNBA.