Worth Knowing, Probably Not Quite Threadworthy 7/27

[SVPete]

Activists Target WNBA Player After She Takes Stand Against Trans Agenda

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/activists-target-wnba-player-after-she-takes-stand-against-trans-agenda

The WNBA only has two real stars with any meaningful popular following - Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham.  Both of them built reputations as underdogs in a sport traditionally dominated by minority players espousing far-left politics.  Both of them have been mistreated in the past by a league that tends to play nursemaid to those same players.

The WNBA has long been a cultural joke, not just because its reputation for low standards of athleticism, but because they are constantly whining about "equal pay", "social justice" and LGBT issues.  ...

The national interest in Caitlin Clark transcends politics; people like her because she takes the game seriously and plays at a level far above most of her peers.  Her mere presence on the court now often brings in double or even triple the normal WNBA viewership.   

On the other hand, Sophie Cunningham has gained a reputation as an enforcer.  While Caitlin Clark is being persistently battered with flagrant fouls disguised as "accidents", Cunningham has decided to dish out some fouls in return.  The Martial Arts trained player has decided to "sweep the leg" on the league and she's no longer letting the abuse slide.

This month she went viral for pointing her finger in the face of a black player (DeWanna Bonner) after multiple fouls against Caitlin Clark without referee intervention.  Bonner flipped out over the gesture and the WNBA was unhappy.  A white girl pointing with condemnation in the face of a black player was viewed by the political left as unacceptable.  The fans loved it.

This week, Cunningham was in the news again, this time because she took a public position on "trans women" (men) being allowed in women's sports.  Cunningham argued that she doesn't hate trans people, but:

“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that.’ I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
...
Rule #1 when dealing with the political left:  Never apologize to the political left.  It won't shut them up.  They will smell blood in the water and attack even more aggressively.  Cunningham seems to understand this rule well. 

In response, the media has gone on the attack, admonishing Cunningham for her comments.  Leftists on social media are calling for her to booted from the league.  Some are burning her jersey in an effort to inspire a boycott of her merchandise.

WRT that "boycott". It looks like it's being counter boycotted, https://www.si.com/fannation/sneakers/news/sophie-cunningham-adidas-shoes-nearly-sold-out-in-under-24-hours , https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/sophie-cunningham-adidas-shoes-sell-225759118.html .

[SVPete]

Woke Cracker Barrel CEO Is Out After Failing to Undo the Damage She Caused

https://pjmedia.com/tim-o-brien/2026/07/27/cracker-barrel-ceo-is-out-after-failing-to-sufficiently-undo-her-damage-n4955489

The woke CEO of Cracker Barrel, Julie Masino, is on her way out, according to the company. This comes after she attempted to sterilize the Americana country feel of the chain’s restaurants and branding a year ago.

You may remember that last year, Cracker Barrel ignored the massive amount of backlash it received when it launched a chain-wide remodeling of its restaurants, eschewing the old-fashioned look and feel that defined the brand. Masino and her team instead opted to force a new look and feel to the restaurants that was, well, boring. In fact, it was so obviously an attempt to get away from its Americana country roots, that the negative feedback came heavy and hard.

Displaying a commitment to tone-deafness, Masino pushed forward with changes to the chain’s logo and menu that made vanilla look like an exotic spice. The ensuing controversy, in a marketing sense, achieved Bud Light levels of disgust.

After the controversy threatened sales and company performance, Masino and her team backed off their plans and decided not to complete the wholesale makeover of the chain’s restaurants, its logo, and its menu.
...
The Wall Street Journal reported: “The move (Masino's resignation) ends a roughly three-year tenure in which the restaurant chain was widely criticized by customers and President Trump for her efforts to modernize the eatery and its stores. Masino pressed forward with a revamp that included remaking the folksy logo atop Cracker Barrel restaurants, pulling antique tchotchkes off the walls and changing the menu.”

Cracker Barrel’s stock price tanked as a result. The company lost more than half of its valuation. Since then, the stock’s recovery has been largely tepid, though it did get a boost earlier this summer when the company forecasted an improved 2026 outlook.
...
The Journal reported that “Cracker Barrel told investors after second-quarter earnings that the family-dining chain was recovering from huge losses in sales, profit and the number of guests coming through its doors.”

Apparently, the pace of the recovery wasn’t working fast enough for Cracker Barrel investors. Masino is now out, proving the following point once again: “Go woke, go broke.”

Customer reaction to woke stupidity, as with Bud Lite, was swift. Recovery, for Cracker Barrel at least, is being slow. I'm not sure how things have progressed for Bud Lite, though it is third most popular in the US behind Michelob Ultra and Modelo, in preference order.