Deadspin mocked for calling reporter Sage Steele the ‘black Candace Owens’ of ESPN

On Wednesday, Deadspin released another edition of its "Idiot of the Year" list, in which the sports blog names people they feel deserve to be shamed for their actions over the past year. Number six on their list was reporter Sage Steele of ESPN.

Deadspin lists a number of things Steele said in 2021, and then goes on to seemingly mock the fact that she got COVID, acting as if her statements about the pandemic caused her to become infected.

In a now-deleted first release, Deadspin referred to Sage Steele as "the Black Candace Owens."

Deadspin quickly realized their mistake, and swapped it to say simply, "the Candace Owens of ESPN," but not before social media users mocked them.

"Isn't @RealCandaceO Candace Owens the actual black Candace Owens?" one user asked.

"Did nobody do a quick Google search first?" quipped another.

Eventually, the story made its way to the real Candace Owens, who simply said, "Unreal."

Both Steele and Owens have come to be known for their willingness to speak their minds on controversial issues, both expressing their displeasure with vaccines mandates among other things.