[NYT] A Disparaging Video Prompts Explosive Fallout Within ESPN

This whole saga may end up being more exciting then this year's NBA Finals itself.

 

My comments were more of a this is what Rachel should say now. But in short, I don't believe it's a very good look for a white woman to insinuate that she was being replaced strictly because of "diversity requirements." (As if Maria Taylor wasn't more than capable of doing the job.) Her little remark that "there isn’t just one seat at the table for a minority of whichever version this week we’re trying to please" also makes me cringe.

That's my interpretation and thoughts on the matter at least.

 

Once again she did not do that, I have no idea why you keep saying that.

She NEVER insinuated that Maria wasn't more than capable of doing the job.

The fact that you keep pushing that narrative makes me cringe along with the fact you think you know what she should have said.

What's wrong with that remark, I agree with it.

There are a lot of other jobs involved in the NBA Finals.

 

Wow Amin unloaded. It's an emotional issue for ESPN and others, everyone is getting triggered and lashing out. She made a mistake and apologized, hopefully she doesn't get cancelled.

 

Interesting
The Onus to squash this is put on the person that was attached . . .. . .
Interesting . . . .

Rocket River
I wonder if the situation were reverse\d . . . .

 

Soooo. .. . . Rachel was not a Affirmative Action hire but the black lady is . . . . .. . . .interesting

Rocket River
Statistics show the greatest benefactor of Affirmative Action is white women

 

Yes, if someone genuinely apologizes why not accept the apology and squash the beef especially when it impacted the other sideline reporters' ability to do their job? From the NYT article.

Nichols said she reached out to Taylor to apologize through texts and phone calls. “Maria has chosen not to respond to these offers, which is completely fair and a decision I respect,” Nichols said.

Taylor declined to comment.

Jaylen Rose had an incident for his comments on Kevin Love and apologized which makes the viral video from his daughter very hypocritical. It's a shame that people want Nichol's head on a silver platter and can't accept her apology and move on.

 

but not Free from consequences
amirite?

Rocket River

 

If Rachel does the game tonight, it won't look good if someone walks away from her. Which I would think is highly probable although both of these teams are generally polite. Best thing is to put her in the booth or just sideline her altogether. But they will need to deal with it somehow and at some point. It might be best to let Maria make the next move when her contract is up. And then make their move.

My guess is Rachel had to apologize long before this week. So Maria is holding a long salty grudge. This does get her name in the news cycle if she leaked it, but it's not in my opinion a wise career move. If she's always salty when leaving a job, and throwing people under the bus as she goes, that doesn't sell well to a future employer. That's if she is responsible.

 

I will CoSign this

Rocket River
Google is my friend

 

Point #1 is no small thing. Trying to gain the sympathy of a person who could be a very real block to her rival's career aspirations(since he controls who does/doesn't get interviews with famous athletes) isn't racist but is really cut throat and manipulative. In the extended NYT article it's clear Nichols' ire is directed more at ESPN management than Maria, but that doesn't mean Nichols gets off the hook here - she still very much seems like the same type of competitive, opportunistic, "MY career at all costs" "compete culture" talent that has made ESPN the morally bankrupt sideshow that it has been for decades.

I'm not sure if Nichols was being racist in assuming skin color was the motivating factor for her rival's ascendence - that's not clear from the article, but regardless she comes off as the entitled Karen who will sabotage those who prevent her from getting what she wants. I'm not inclined to call her evil, but she is no saint either and is likely cut from the same cloth as the entitled white bros who manage to make headlines at least a few times a year and reinforce the 'ESPN has a trashy frat boy culture" refrain we hear time and time and time and time again.....

 

Ridiculous, but hope the NBA is watching this and remembers for next contract negotiations not to pick them and go back to NBC or CBS. They won’t though and I fear Nichols will be blackballed because of the large percentage of African-Americans involved, BLM statements etc. I really hope not but I can see a lot of people going off on her and everyone screaming racism so she will be a victim.

Americans have really gone too far with the race narrative, even though not necessarily ill-intended with things like BLM and affirmative action, but this only hurts the fight for equality. Every single thing somehow boils down to race / colour. It’s a damn shame..

 

Honestly . . . . I'd suspect that ESPN had an escape clause in her contract
I seriously doubt there didn't have their 100 lawyers look through it before
taking her off the Finals

Rocket River

 

It's very relevant who the person was she was venting to - Adam Mendelsohn is a powerbroker who decides who gets to interview many celebrity athletes. He's not just some dude - if Nichols convinces Adam that Maria isn't qualified to be prime time, then why would he send his athletes to interview with her? That's kind of a big deal that could follow Maria not just at ESPN, but anywhere she goes....and you think she should just jump to accept the apology because Nichols wasn't being racist....but because she was just broadly trying to sabotage her career ceiling?

 

Hell no…need to weed out all these behind closed door racist.

She isn’t sorry…she’s sorry she got caught.

If this was the other way around where Maria Taylor accused Rachel Nichols of getting the job because she was white ESPN would of already exiled her and black listed her.

Do the right thing for once ESPN and make and example out of Rachel Nichols.

And I don’t want to see all the black men who work at ESPN come to her defense.

She made these comments in what she thought was privacy.

There’s a saying…a friend is more dangerous then an enemy…because at least the enemy makes you aware they are an enemy…when a friend can turn out to be and enemy all along.

And I’m pretty sure I got it all wrong but y’all get the point.

 

Why don't people read posts......I did not say anything related to this specific situation. Affirmative Action and Diversity hire policies are racist, that's all I said. The rest is you putting words in my mouth.

 

...and can we also agree that maybe Lebron needs better representation if his PR guy, Adam Mendelsohn is a dude who just got caught on a hot mic saying he is so exhausted from all this Black Lives Matter talk? Like BLM is just a ****ing chore he's tired of getting paid millions to influence instead of you know - meaningful change that can have a very real impact on the lives of millions of people of color throughout America.

THAT is the real story here - that the most influential socially conscious athlete is being represented by a guy who finds BLM and Me Too more of an exhausting chore.

 

Same things happen when you are fighting over a girl. You either quit the competition, or you do everything in your power to sabotage the competition. Perkins said it all. You look out for yourself in a situation like this. Almost everyone does. It's not evil. It's self preservation. Rachel did that. Maria did that. ESPN is doing that. And Perkins has too much to lose by taking sides.

One thing is Rachel admitted basically that she broke the number one rule of journalism, to not be the story, so I would think on that ground alone they can break the contract, and she admitted to it. Not sayin that is right, but thought it was dumb for Rachel to say it.