Roar Guru
In a US presidential campaign which seems like it’s been going on since Barack Obama was elected in 2008, it feels a tad old to describe Republican Nominee Donald Trump as ‘controversial’. That’s a descriptor his supporters would not only agree with, but champion from the rooftops.
But Trump’s latest comments about using his fame to sexually assault women have done what jibes against Mexicans, Muslims, military servicemen and just about everyone else failed to do – they’ve hurt him in the polls.
We won’t go into the specifics of what Trump said here – you’ve got the internet for that – but what has become a subject of debate is the way in which Trump dismissed the furore as simple ‘locker room talk’.
I’m not proud of my locker room talk. But this world has serious problems. We need serious leaders. #debate #BigLeagueTruth
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 10, 2016
A range of current and former professional athletes – who know a few things about locker rooms – have responded to Trump’s justification, dismissing the billionaire’s ‘locker room’ claims.
LA Clippers coach and NBA legend Doc Rivers responded by saying “That’s a new locker room for me”.
Clippers star Blake Griffin responded on Twitter, saying that Trump’s menacing debate performance – expertly covered here by Techly – was more locker room than anything like the comments in question.
All this heavy breathing seems more locker room-esque than anything #debate
— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin32) October 10, 2016
But the best line was delivered by the big daddy of US sports, the King – the one and only LeBron James.
James responded “What is locker room talk to me? It’s not what [Trump] said… What [Trump] was saying, I don’t know what that is. That’s trash talk”.
LeBron on Donald Trump: "That's not locker room talk. That's trash talk." pic.twitter.com/3optkXraM3
— Hayden Grove (@H_Grove) October 12, 2016
See the full statement here.
The stinging rebuke of The Donald probably isn’t a huge surprise, however. LeBron has previously indicated his support for Hillary Clinton, he’s refrained from entering into the specifics of the campaign. But if there’s one sportsman who knows the ins and outs of locker room chat, it’s King James.
A range of other athletes from across the US sporting spectrum also backed up the King’s comments, effectively saying Trump’s comments were not only not reflective of locker rooms – someone making such comments would not be welcome in a locker room.
Just for reference. I work in a locker room (every day)… that is not locker room talk. Just so you know…
— Chris Conley (@_flight17_) October 10, 2016
PSA: sexual advances without consent is NOT locker room talk.
— Kendall Marshall (@KButter5) October 10, 2016
Claiming Trump's comments are "locker room banter" is to suggest they are somehow acceptable. They aren't.
— Dahntay (@dahntay1) October 9, 2016
That's not locker room talk.
— Tom Crabtree (@itsCrab) October 10, 2016
I'm offended as an athlete that @realDonaldTrump keeps using this "locker room talk" as an excuse.
— Robbie Rogers (@robbierogers) October 10, 2016
Athletes are criticised whenever they decide to get involved in politics, but that’s mainly because they might not be experts in the field.
So, locker rooms and locker room banter? Well you’d hazard a guess that they know a thing or two more than Trump.
Via Techly