Part 6/8:
The ongoing discourse emphasizes a shift in how athletes and coaches are perceived and how they perceive themselves in response to media scrutiny. The powerful examples set by figures like Mulkey and Clark serve to challenge the traditional hierarchies in sports commentary.
Commentators who previously could dominate discussions without challenge are now seeing pushback from the very subjects they report on. As Mulkey exemplified in her press conference, professionalism and respectfulness can, and should, be demanded in any dialogue, especially when the standards to which they hold others often shift based on success or public opinion.