Portnoy: Fauci not the end-all be-all on football
Dr. Fauci says there won't be football; Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy responds.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy freaked out both fans and Penn National Gaming investors on Wednesday by posting a video in which he speculated that he might have coronavirus.
Portnoy, who had been oddly silent on social media, posted a shirtless video from his bed in which he stated he hadn't moved for 40 hours and promised to fight back against whatever was ailing him.
“I’m just sick as a motherf-----r, I haven’t gotten out of bed in 40 hours, I’ve eaten one apple, one apple, look at my eyes, do I have COVID? I don’t know. Maybe,” Portnoy said. “I’ll fight its a--, just like I fight everybody’s a--, I’m just going to get better so I can come back and do what I do, which is entertain you.”
Portnoy then noted that Barstool parent Penn National Gaming’s stock was “at $57” and he planned to go back to sleep.
“Fight, fight, fight,” he said to end the video.
WARNING THIS VIDEO CONTAINS VULGAR LANGUAGE
A few hours later, Portnoy posted a follow-up video to address concerns that Penn National Gaming stock was taking a hit as a result of his bedridden message.
“I guess Penn National, like, dipped 2.5%, or something, after I showed this video of my face looking like f-----g Dr. Death. Yeah, I look like dirt and can’t get out of bed. I get it, corona is probably in my nostrils, I get it,” Portnoy said. “It’s gonna take the f------g National Guard to get me out of here, but the dip if you want ... I don’t care, I’m not going anywhere.”
The outspoken Portnoy, who has boosted the casino operator’s stock price since it acquired 36 percent of Barstool for roughly $163 million in cash earlier this year, has taken up day trading since the ongoing pandemic led to the cancellation or postponement of major spring sporting events.
“You think this is gonna f-----g take me out? I got f-----g COVID right where I f-----g want it, I’m lying down, it thinks I’m going out, I’ve got it in a f-----g reverse chokehold,” he said. “Cult leaders don’t f-----g die from COVID, that’s a p---y way to go out.”
WARNING THIS VIDEO CONTAINS VULGAR LANGUAGE
“People who are rattled that I’m sick don’t know me very well,” Portnoy later tweeted. “This is like the 8th time I’ve had covid. Every time I get better I get stronger.”
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Portnoy has been outspoken about the coronavirus pandemic, regularly mocking Dr. Anthony Fauci in the process. But the Barstool founder has managed to expand his empire during the pandemic, first starting a series of viral box openings and frozen pizza reviews while he was stuck in his New York City apartment. He eventually left his home, spending time in Florida, Nantucket and the Hamptons, continuing his highly popular pizza review videos and interacting with fans in the process.
Last month, Portnoy was invited to the White House and conducted a sit-down interview with President Trump. During the interview with the president, he acknowledged that Dr. Fauci made his "stocks tank" whenever the task force member encouraged coronavirus-related lockdowns.
Portnoy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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