Keith Olbermann’s quick temper and a loose grip on reality seem to be a recurring theme in his public engagements. In a recent incident on Thursday, the 64-year-old former sports commentator targeted Riley Gaines, a 23-year-old All-American female swim star, in a rather uncalled-for tirade, suggesting that she “sucked” at swimming.
Keith Olbermann Attacks 'Unsuccessful' Riley Gaines Who 'Sucked at Swimming.' Gaines Has The Perfect Response. pic.twitter.com/oIRAAXTc3s
— Resist the Mainstream (@ResisttheMS) September 1, 2023
This is not the first instance of Olbermann’s apparent frustration with successful women, as he has displayed a similar pattern of behavior in recent weeks. Gaines, however, did not let his baseless criticism slide and promptly responded, presenting her impressive trophy collection as evidence to refute Olbermann’s clearly misguided claims.
Gaines, who is an advocate for maintaining the integrity of women’s sports and also hosts “Gaines for Girls,” drew attention to a tweet by Sen. Megan Hunt (D-NE). In this tweet, she expressed her dissatisfaction with Gov. Jim Pillen’s (R-NE) executive order that aimed to “Establish a Women’s Bill of Rights.”
The order acknowledged the biological differences between men and women and emphasized the legitimate reasons for distinguishing between genders in various contexts, including athletics, prisons, domestic violence shelters, and more. Hunt labeled the order as “offensive and ridiculous,” accusing Gov. Pillen of jeopardizing the safety of Nebraskans.
Gaines, who had previously experienced an incident where a transgender athlete exposed himself to her at a swim meet, responded to Hunt’s concerns by highlighting the absurdity of fussing over a realistic definition of a woman.
Seizing on this opportunity, Keith Olbermann, seemingly in search of a new cause now that the Russia collusion hoax has faded, targeted Gaines with a tweet, stating, “Can you address the reality and move past it? You sucked at swimming. That’s why you lost.” However, Olbermann’s tweet received a swift fact-check, with Gaines’ impressive swimming career being highlighted.
She concluded her college career as one of the most decorated swimmers in her program’s history, boasting several accomplishments, including three SEC titles, a second-place national finish, the title of SEC “Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year,” and All-SEC first-team honors.
Unfazed by Olbermann’s continued attacks, Gaines responded by alluding to his turbulent career history, stating, “Ah, makes sense now why you got fired from ESPN.”
She then proceeded to showcase her trophy collection, proudly recounting her achievements, such as breaking the 200 butterfly record and holding the SEC record, a feat that establishes her as one of the fastest Americans of all time.
With a touch of humor, Gaines addressed Olbermann’s baseless criticism, saying, “Keith, I’d be really sad if I broke this trying to prove a point to an old man who can’t even seem to keep a job, but I’ve got more of these — so I’m not. Thanks, Keith!”
In this exchange, Riley Gaines skillfully defended her reputation and accomplishments, while Keith Olbermann’s hasty and unfounded critique only served to underscore his penchant for misguided attacks and an apparent inability to acknowledge reality.
