[NYT] A Disparaging Video Prompts Explosive Fallout Within ESPN

This would make sense if this was a deposition or lawsuit or media appearance or whatever where she's trying to make a case. But it's not - it's just a private conversation venting with a friend who likely already knows all the reasons Nichols thought she deserved the job. There would be no reason for her to recite all her qualifications in that setting. Her frustration is that (right or wrong) she thought she was more qualified and thought ESPN picked Taylor for other reasons.

 

My bad.

Personally I rather see Maria. That's more of my male lizard brain. TV is a visual medium, having attractive people always help.

Basketball analysis-wise if they only do something about Jay Williams.

 

So they think u weren’t qualified for the school u got into and only got in because you were black and had to lower standards? I would never associate with people like that again

I can’t tolerate that level of disrespect…what was said about Silas was disgusting, yet that comment was allowed to just sit there and rock for multiple pages

 

It's impressive how well Jalen Rose navigates the racial dynamics of ESPN while still being promoted and not being canceled by other black and white people years later. This guy is a media genius

Also Woj called Rachel a bad teammate.. that burns. no coming back from that.

 

Never forget Rachel always went in on Harden to an annoying degree.

 

But is Rachel wrong about why she was demoted and Maria promoted? From what I've read, I don't think so. To me, Rachel is stating an observation. It was ESPN that was racist to make hosting decisions based on their skin color.

 

Affirmative action is racist.

Decision making solely in the name of diversity is the epitome of racism.

I don’t know if that’s what happened here, but it wouldn’t be the first time.

 

That's only part of the conversation taken out of context. She also said the following:

“Those same people — who are, like, generally white conservative male Trump voters — is part of the reason I’ve had a hard time at ESPN,” Nichols said during the taped conversation. “I basically finally just outworked everyone for so long that they had to recognize it. I don’t want to then be a victim of them trying to play catch-up for the same damage that affected me in the first place, you know what I mean. So I’m trying to just be nice.”

She's worked there for a while so I'm sure she knows what's going on and what the people in charge are like. Also, the comments were made last summer when during the height of the George Floyd protests and every almost every company in the world (including the NFL ironically) issuing statements supporting racial equality.

And this was a leaked private conversation.

I'm not a Rachel Nichols fan because I think she's a bonafide Rocket hater, but I think she's being done wrong in this case.

 

The main thing here is that Rachel Nichols is not Maria Taylor's boss. How many people root for the person who is competing for their job?

If Nichols and Taylor were crafty, they would team up and bring a joint lawsuit against ESPN management. But that is a nuclear option and they could get burned badly.

 

It's quite sad that women feel the need to put each other down to climb the ladder. Wouldn't b this way if the higher up weren't suck back in the middle age

Then again human nature envy, pride and the other sins aren't too far fetched.

 

I see Rachel went to the Toobin School of Home Broadcasting™.

 

Lol when the left eat their own

also why is Rachel Nichols seeking advice from rich Paul and lebrons advisers about a situation at ESPN. Maybe YouTube karceno4life was right when he said klutch sports control ESPN

 

Speaking on Star Wars, Disney didn’t allow Finn and Rey to get it on. They made Finn a simp, Disney is woke but they ain’t that woke. I haven’t seen a Hollywood movie since focus starring will smith

 

I don't like Rachel from an entertainment perspective, but the comment itself isn't racist. It's probably true. But who cares. The point is they are trying to give opportunities just like they were asked to do, but god forbid someone call it what it was. It can't be both ways for the african american. If you are given a job then you were given the job. Rachel has a right to be pissed. And Maria has a right to an opportunity. But pull out the popcorn. Much ado about nothing if u ask me. Give Maria the job and she will either sink or swim. We saw the same thing with the old mike and mike.

 

This is overblown horseshit and rather than discussing how ESPN is doing business and allowing Jalen Rose to skate, we’re talking about a private conversation that is not racist at all. I dislike Rachel because of the role she plays, her act, but as a person she does not deserve the backlash. This cancel culture black and white thinking is ruining common sense, humanity and things like forgiveness, second chances etc.

 

… 2/3 of the people in your living room?

 

I’m not a Rachel Nichols fan and find her mostly annoying. That said, don’t see anything hateful about her comment and it would be very disappointing to see anybody’s career ruined by something like that.

 

Whats odd is that ESPN continues to think these people are a part of the story. I remember being shocked to learn Micelle Beadle made 5 million . dollars a year, I figured for what?! It made more sense now that each rerun they forcefed us her brand where they kept cutting to her to say "I'm michelle beadle an this is a rerun".

Similar to that bald dude running sports center. These guys are standard variety weatherman type of reporters, they do fine, but they aren't memorable or unreplaceable to the point that anyones tuning in to ESPN with "rachel or whoever else" the demand is therir for sports, these guys add their TMZ flare and dry dad jokes but it all makes no difference. There is just too much money in this business and they got fooled into giving to the most replaceable on air 'talent'..

They could give some standard variety weatherman 1 million a year, cut half the drama and I'd bet fans wouldn't notice the difference if Nichols or any of these people outside a handful of former players or coaches or certain few announcers maybe who stand out

Whats next, NBA going to do biopics of nba Referee Monty McCutchen?

 

I'm not black but yeah same sentiment. And the disrespect comes from other POCs