ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith, of “First Take,” said Sergio Garcia’s fried chicken comments about Tiger Woods were racist but that he had no reason to believe that the Spaniard was a racist.
On “First Take” on Wednesday, the morning after Garcia made his remarks at a European Tour awards dinner, Smith said that Garcia “made made a racist statement, but that doesn’t mean he is a racist. I don’t know him to be that.”
Smith said Garcia knew “it was offensive” and said he did not think his apology was “sincere.”
He said he was “not buying” Garcia’s apology and said Garcia was doing so just to preserve his endorsement deals with companies like Taylor Made and Adidas, noting that Garcia understands that the “fried chicken” remarks can “cost him money.”
He did add, though, that someone’s endorsements should not be taken away from him because of such comments so long as there has not been a consistent pattern and are not repeated.
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