Star quarterback for the University of Texas Longhorns, Arch Manning, describing a video as "hilarious" was enough to change his public perception in the liberal media forever.
For his reaction, Manning seemingly became public enemy No. 1 and was immediately accused of supporting violence against women.
'Obviously f**k Arch Manning.'
The outrage came after Manning laughed at an AI video that showed his coach, Steve Sarkisian, slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe after a game.
The video was just six seconds. Manning's reaction lasted slightly longer when he asked media members if they had seen it.
"Him slapping Holly Rowe. Yeah, it's hilarious," Manning said. The entire room laughed along, but the laughter was short-lived.
From that point on, the air around Manning completely changed as the sports world seemed to turn on him.
"Obviously f**k Arch Manning," wrote Katy Duffy, senior producer at the Athletic. Duffy also called it "disgusting" that another reporter had asked Manning the question and shared his answer.
ESPN host Shae Cornette said Manning was "insensitive" and "immature" before adding, "Quite frankly, how dare he say that?"
MS NOW sports columnist Jason Page claimed Manning was showing people "who he really is."
Manning followed protocol and ignored the insults, apologized, and called his own comments "insensitive."
He even contacted Rowe, who accepted his apology. But the next time Manning spoke to the media, fans immediately noticed he was different.
Manning took less than a minute to answer almost 20 questions, barely smiled, and deadpanned most of his answers with the typical non-responses fans are used to hearing from athletes.
The 22-year-old's spark was gone.
Comparing press conferences before and after the ordeal, one college football page said the media fiasco had "just nuked Arch Manning's personality."
Others made similar observations.
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"This is what bogus media criticism creates, what incentive do athletes have to be honest? Zero," Clay Travis remarked.
Popular page ML Football screamed in all caps, "THIS IS AWFUL," in reaction to Manning's new, subdued nature.
Eli Manning, Arch's uncle, spoke with Front Office Sports and, perhaps shockingly, summarized what most seemed to be thinking: Treating the media as friends will come back to haunt you.
"You feel like they're your pal. You relax with them a little bit. You try to be funny, and then they can take it and run," Uncle Eli told host Baker Machado.
The former New York Giant advised his nephew to be careful and find moments where "you can be funny."
Eli's wisdom concluded with saying his nephew will figure things out and eventually "learn and deal with it."
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Redemption for Manning — which his uncle said will include "growing pains" — may be in lessons learned, but the backlash to some of his detractors may fill in the gaps of his newfound silence.
For example, the Post Millennial reported that Minnesota TV anchor Jana Shortal said that the entire room needed to apologize, along with Manning, for laughing at what she described as a violent depiction. After calling the whole situation a "huge issue," Shortal was taken off the air a few days later.
"Karma came fast," commentator Brandon Tatum wrote on X.
As well, former NFL wide receiver T.J. Moe replied to Rowe and told her that Manning had no reason to apologize to her and did nothing wrong.
"The proper response here would've been 'No need to apologize, Arch. You did nothing wrong.'"
At the same time, fans noted that the Atlantic's Katy Duffy, a harsh critic of Manning, had herself joked that an NFL player should be slapped "again," but in real life. Interestingly, Duffy replied by saying the post reminded her "how funny" she is.
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[H/T Blaze Media]
