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- Nascar. Tyler Reddick defends Michael Jordan's Daytona 500 celebration after viral video sparks controversy
- Nascar. Michael Jordan under fire for inappropriately touching a child at the NASCAR Daytona 500 celebration
When Michael Jordan should have been celebrating his 63rd birthday, the NBA legend obtained a huge milestone in his motorsports journey, as his driver, Tyler Reddick, won the Daytona 500 in a breathless, single-lap nailbiter. But, as the 23XI Racing team lifted the Harley J. Earl Trophy, the was suddenly eclipsed by a viral eight-second video that ignited a firestorm on social media.
It was in the middle of that noise when Stephen A. Smith took to his show Straight Shooter, to give his honest opinion and come out to defend his friend, calling the public's claims as "ridiculous."
The clip that started the hurricane
It all started after a brief clip of the post-race celebration in Victory Lane. While champagne bottles were popped, Jordan was seen standing behind Beau Reddick, the six-year-old son of driver Tyler Reddick. In the short clip, we can see how Jordan moves his hand near the child's waistband, pinching his t-shirt and shorts. Critics on social media labeled his actions as "inappropriate", with others going even further comparing it with other historical scandals.
Stephen A. Smith stated that this was another example of what he named "algorithmic amplification", the process by which a short, out-of-context clip is pushed by social media trends until it distorts reality:
"It's a kid that Michael Jordan loves like it's his own kid. It's a kid that he's known for years... If you see the footage, he's holding the kid in his arms, he's walking around playing with them. Why would we jump to that conclusion? Particularly when it comes to somebody the likes of Michael Jordan
Tyler Reddick also closes the case
While Smith provided the first loud defense, it was Tyler Reddick himself who delivered the definitive statement. Appearing on Smith's SiriusXM show, the Daytona 500 champion expressed frustration that a career highlight was being marred by an unfair online cynicism.
"From my perspective, I've gotten to know Michael and his family very well over the years I've been here with 23XI, and I don't see what other people see when it comes to this
Following the interview, Reddick's camp made it clear they would not address the matter further, choosing to focus on the triumph of their first Great American Race win. With these words, the focus returns to where it belongs.