Saying Gregg Doyel Should've Threatened To Quit His Job In Protest Over Caitlin Clark Punishment Is Hilarious

Hey, Big Js, it's not the 1990s. 

Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel is back from his suspension for his creepy exchange with Caitlin Clark during her introductory press conference and now one Big J is sorta coming to Gregg's defense. 

Back in late April, Creepy Gregg took things to the next-level and clearly made the No. 1 WNBA draft pick, and the new face of the league, uncomfortable to the point where Gannett, the corporate owner of the Indy Star stepped in and suspended the goofy columnist. The publisher even banned Gregg Doyel from covering Clark. 

On Tuesday, Miami Herald Big J columnist Greg Cote stepped up to the plate for his fellow Big J during an appearance on the "The Dan Le Bartard Show." 

"What he did was cringeworthy. It was sexist. It was creepy. It was juvenile. He deserved to be suspended for a couple of weeks," Cote prefaced his comments. 

(Gregg Doyel served a two-week suspension after his creepy exchange with Caitlin Clark during an Indiana Fever press conference. / Getty Images / Gregg Doyel/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK)

But, at the end of the day, Cote is a Big J and Big Js run in a circle where they protect each other.

"I don’t believe what he did was a journalistic felony. I believe it was a dumb misdemeanor. But it’s a felonious penalty when you tell the lead columnist in a city welcoming its new big star that he can’t write about her indefinitely. I wouldn’t stand for that," Cote continued.

"If the Miami Herald tried to tell me that and the role was reversed, I would use whatever leverage I had to say, ‘That’s not standing with me.’ You need to threaten to quit. You need to make a mess of this if you need to."

"They can’t tell me what I can cover and what I can’t cover because I misspoke at an introductory press conference."

Here's the problem for Gregg Doyel: He doesn't have an ounce of leverage over Gannett. 

In April, the Indianapolis Star ended the local printing of the newspaper after 120 years. The paper is now printed in Peoria, Illinois, which is a three-hour drive from Indianapolis. As someone who spent a decade working in newspapers, when the printing press is closed locally, it's not a great sign of the times. 

Cote knows it. Doyel knows it. 

Here's how I envision Gannett management handling a call from Gregg where he threatens to quit: 

Gregg: I'll quit if you don't let me write about Caitlin Clark! 

Gannett: Good. Quit. 

-End-

I don't care how many Associated Press sports editor circle jerk awards Gregg has won over the years. I don't care if the Indianapolis Business Journal named him one of the 250 most influential business leaders in 2023 (I don't care what business Gregg runs and neither does Gannett management). 

Cote knows journalists/columnists at regional papers aren't telling corporate management how things are going to operate. That's absolutely delusional talk. The Star has a daily weekday print circulation of 35,000/50,000 (Sunday, as of Q3, 2022). 

With circulation numbers like that, the print edition exists to keep the old people happy with fresh crosswords. 

The Indy Star website homepage doesn't feature Doyel. It isn't pushing readers to Doyel's work in a special way. There's no banner directing readers to his columns. 

Doyel has 1,000 followers on Facebook. 96k Twitter followers. Those numbers aren't moving the needle in a way where a guy gets to dictate how business is going to operate. 

Add it all up and Gregg Doyel isn't scaring Gannett management. 

Am I wrong? Maybe you'd cancel your subscription and I have this all wrong. 

Email: joekinsey@gmail.com