A Case for Conner

Conner Mcgregor is one of the most polarizing figures in all of the world. Connor is listed as the 5th most famous athlete in the world by ESPN . Lebron James, Christian Ranaldo, and Lionel Messi are all on this list as well. These are in fact the biggest sports names in the world. All of the athletes have huge social followings and are the most marketable people in the world when it comes to sports. Lebron James carries himself with a prestige that's envied by nearly every athlete. Parents love for their children to looking up to Leborn because they feel he is a great role model. Lebron carries himself the way parents would hope their children carried themselves off the court. With Connor being placed amongst such names as Lebron he often finds himself in trouble because the mainstream media doesn't feel he is the "Proper" role model. Connor Mcgregor is a MMA Fighter and there is a certain demeanor that must go with the sport. Fighters are supposed to talk a lot trash and be brash a perfect example is Connors Friendemy Floyd Mayweather. Floyd often finds himself on the wrong side of the story but thats exactly what makes people love him as well.

Conner has found himself in trouble across the world for 2 reasons as of late. A rape allegation now being made known to the American public, as well as, being called out for his his words the echoed racism and Islamophobia. When promoting a fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov he made several statements that caused religious tension around the world even taking shots and Khabib’s wife and father. There was so much outrage about the incident that security had to be increased and a fight broke out shortly after the match ended. Mcgregor seems like a bully that has no end even after losing the fight by submission to Khabib. If you’re a Public Relations Handler for someone like Connor what would you do to fix this storm of bad publicity before it ruins your star fighters image?

First the addressing the rape allegation. Rape is serious as we all know and as we educate ourselves more on the subject the more prevalent one must be in making sure they do not contribute to rape culture. Being accused of rape can ruin your career without there even being a formal case. While Mcgreggor’s case is still under investigation , it's important to note Connor has been taken in for questioning by the authorities and released the same day. McGregor and his team have maintained his innocence throughout.

His team must make it known this is something they were not hiding from the media and it was not being addressed until he was formally questioned by the police. Showing he has been fully cooperative helps put tensions at ease he needs to be an open book seemingly, a man with nothing to hide. Mcgregor being a fighter is automatically looked at as aggressive so any tension he and his party bring to the situation could instantly cause for bad press. They must maintain his innocence without attacking his accuser. Public shaming the accuser has become a big issue that is frowned upon in America. Accuser shaming is looked at as aggressive guilty male behavior especially when accused of such a crime. It's important for women to see that Mcgregor is sympathetic to women and rape victims all while maintaining his innocence.

If the authorities do choose to close the case with Mcgregor's innocence his actions throughout the proceeding will be looked at as favorable to the public if he follows this theory. Moving forward he should find a woman's charity to partner with and donate so to further solidify that he does care. Where your money lays so does your heart.

Now to address Connor’s statements that some have label as promotion and others firmly believe it is hate speech. The choice between promotion or hate speech ultimately boils down to a question of values which everyone’s are relative to themselves. Whether you agree with what he said or not, he said something that offended enough people and it wasn't a hey your ugly insult it was demeaning a whole religion. While many people will let fighters get away with a lot a line must be drawn somewhere.

Mcgregor’s team has to find a way for him to still be able to sell himself as the brash and tenacious Mcgregor without offending Muslims around the world.The rise of radical extremist groups and individuals has also caused a rise mosque shootings. You never want your name or ideas associated with a public massacre. When your name becomes part of that you become a talking point for the world with the world question who you are at every step, this forces you into a life of political correctness which can lead to the lowering of overall fame as you become just another political talking point.

Connor and his team need to issue a public apology on Twitter or a late night talk show it doesn't have to be something serious in fact something informal would be to his advantage. When things are informal we typically feel like we are getting your authentic self. The world needs to hear from Mcgregor himself that he is not Islamophobic and in attempts to promote their fight he stepped over the line. This is a lesson he has learned and something he won't do again.

Seeing someone like Connor being sincere will help go a long way in the public's eyes. Many people view him as a fighter and not a politician. A fighter is allowed to make a mistake like this and even to be naive, but as long as he shows he is trying to grow the world will accept him. You don't expect growth in maturity and character from a fighter, so showing those traits will go a long way.

Connor is not held to the same standard of Lebron James or Barrack Obama as they participate in two totally areas. Lebron should never say something that offends people and if he does do something that over steps he can be harshly punished because he is a role model for kids, Mcgregor is a role model for adults and should not be held to the standard of Lebron James. He should be held accountable for his actions and words, but expecting every fighter to be Muhammad Ali will just leave you with a massive headache.