Last Saturday, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian flat out blew off ESPN’s Holly Rowe after their historic comeback win against Ohio State. He gave her the “Hook’em ‘Horns” gesture and just walked away on the field, leaving Rowe looking totally frustrated. Honestly, it was a disrespectful move right there, and it set a seriously messed-up tone for what came next.
The Disrespect on Display
What happened with Sarkisian was bad enough, but it quickly escalated into something way more concerning. Soon after, an AI-generated meme started making the rounds, showing Sarkisian slapping Rowe across the face. Yeah, you read that right. Slapping her. And then, in a press conference that followed, Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who’s 22 years old and a legal adult by the way, was asked about the original interview clip. His response? He smiled wide and said, “I’ve seen a few AI edits of stuff, but that’s about it. I saw an AI edit of Sark’s interview Have y’all seen that one? That’s a good one. Of him slapping Holly Rowe? It’s hilarious.”
The Laughter and The Apology
“Hilarious.” Let that sink in. The idea of a prominent, accomplished woman being violently disrespected in an AI-generated meme was “hilarious” to Manning. And what’s worse? Audible laughter burst out in the room among a group of male reporters. Like Nicole Auerbach tweeted, that laughter from all the men in the room was “so, so gross.” It speaks volumes about the character in that room that nobody stood up or spoke up to call it out. It’s not about Manning being “just a kid,” because he’s a grown man who should know better, especially given his prominent family. The expectation for common decency and respect isn’t a high bar. To his credit, Manning did post an apology on Instagram later, specifically apologizing to Holly Rowe for “an insensitive comment about an AI video.” That’s a start, but the initial reaction and the laughter are hard to unsee.
This whole situation shines a harsh light on something deeply troubling. The source article points out how there’s still this undercurrent of normalization that permeates everyday attitudes, even in “humor,” where women are seen as less than. Holly Rowe is a beloved member of the women’s basketball community, a respected reporter, and she deserved professionalism and respect, not this garbage. What’s at stake here is more than just one interview or one comment. It’s about how we treat women in sports, how we allow “humor” to mask disrespect, and the responsibility that comes with being a public figure. Everyone in the sports world, from coaches to players to reporters, needs to be held to a higher standard.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Swish Appeal.
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