Amidst the sudden furor over a Facebook post by former MLB player and current ESPN baseball commentator Curt Schilling that demeaned and disrespected transgender people, Schilling has taken to three expected tactics.

First, he's blaming everyone else. Of course. In his bizarre, rambling, sometimes incomprehensible blog post today, Schilling took aim at anyone who could possibly be offended by what was one of the most insensitive, mean-spirited posts about trans people I've ever seen. From Schilling:

"Let's make one thing clear right up front. If you get offended by ANYTHING in this post, that's your fault, all yours."

And then…

"YOU'RE the ones making it the issue. I don't care, if you ask me about any of the topics it's likely (much to the chagrin of many) I'll answer with my opinion.

"There are things I have deeply held beliefs in, things I have that are core to who I am, things I am passionate about. If you ask me about them it's likely I'll give you a passionate answer, whether you like that answer or not is completely up to you. I am not going to give you answers to make sure you like what I say, let the rest of the insecure world do that."

SO THERE!!!!!!!!

Second, he has denied he ever posted the photo. He hasn't quite gone to the "someone hacked into my phone and posted it" argument; That would be tough at this point given he has owned the mean-spirited comment he also left on the photo he posted. Yet he's claiming that what so many of us saw on his Facebook wall never existed.

Here's the screen capture as taken by Brandon Benson on his phone:

Here's the screen capture I took on my Google Chrome browser shortly before Schilling removed the photo from his Facebook page so he could claim he never posted it:

Here's the screen capture of his comment about the photo:

It's unfathomable what angle he could possibly be taking by claiming he never posted it. I saw it. Thousands of people saw it. Hundreds "Facebook-reacted" to it. He may be hiding behind some bizarre rationale that he didn't create the post, he only "shared" it. But if that's the case, if there's no problem here, why has said post since been deleted?

I suppose if he hadn't commented on the photo he could claim that he accidentally hit the "share" button and then accidentally confirmed that he wanted to share it on his wall. But to then go onto his own wall and comment on his post…only to claim he never posted it? Ummmmm….

He is going one more route: MAKING CLEAR HE'S ONLY SPEAKING FOR HIMSELF! That's code for, "Please ESPN, don't fire me for this." Whether he says it's only his opinion, his actions in this case weren't just political discourse, they were disgusting and demeaning. If ESPN chooses to be associated with that, it won't sit well with a lot of people.

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