Discussion: ESPN Suspends Jemele Hill For Two Weeks For Tweets About NFL Advertisers

Just like Andy Dufresneā€™s two weeks in the hole for playing the opera record.

Easiest time sheā€™ll ever do.

Edit: If you havenā€™t read the tweets, please do. Theyā€™re about the dilemma that players face right now between representing the NFL and representing their own communities and consciences, and what actions are available to fans beyond just looking for gestures from players. After the earlier ā€œcounselingā€ Hill got for truthfully calling Trump a white supremacist, she had a similar dilemma: stay silent and risk being viewed as a sellout, or speak up and take the consequences. So she spoke up, knowing full well that ESPNā€™s sellout threshold is calibrated somewhat differently from hers. They canā€™t fire her, but they need (their perspective, not mine) to do something. So they get their wrist-slap and she gets to show that she can still speak truth to power. Hence my original comment.

13 Likes

:unamused: And I just suspended ESPN ā€“ possibly for good.

3 Likes

I wonder: does she have the next gig lined up already, or think sheā€™s indispensable, or have convictions stronger than ambitions, or maybe something I havenā€™t imagined. She doesnā€™t strike me as Trumpishly unable to apply discretion.

1 Like

Quick story on Jerry Jonesā€™ values. Michael Irvin once told a story about how he stabbed a team mate in the neck with scissors in training camp. Jerry paid the victim to go away so Michael could play. So, in short: stabbing team mate is ok, protesting racial inequality is not.

4 Likes

Boycott ESPN for two weeks, or forever which I have been doing since I donā€™t watch it anyway. Gimme a list to hurt Jerry Jonesā€™ income and Iā€™ll do it with joy.

6 Likes

Yes, very important to make an example of her because the last thing ESPN would want to do is to offend racists, white supremacists and NAZIs.

4 Likes

When is the Congress going to suspend Trump for his tweets?

6 Likes

Never insult the paying customers!

You go, girl!

2 Likes

Tip of the hat to Jemele Hill for having the courage of her convictions & making her choice.
ā€¦ and no reason to take issue with ESPN - the policy is in place - the same policy that was repeatedly ignored by that flaming jackass Curt Schilling and as a result, Curt is no longer yacking his heard off at ESPN - - - after prior incidents & warnings -
*On April 20, 2016, ESPN announced that they had fired Schilling after he shared a Facebook post that many viewed as being anti-transgender, saying, ā€œESPN is an inclusive company. Curt Schilling has been advised that his conduct was unacceptable and his employment with ESPN has been terminated.ā€
Frankly - there are a number of major employers who would not have issues warnings - they would have take a one-strike and youā€™re out approach.

Good for Jemele - totally support her - and admire her courage - in light of the fact that she knew that the second event would have consequences - and she knew it had to with the Schilling precedent -

3 Likes

I wonder what other ESPN folks like Mike and Mike think about all this, after all, she is on their show all the time!?

1 Like

Fake news. The media only censors conservatives.

ESPNā€™s public editor invited this when he talked about how ESPN leaned left and he needed to push ESPN towards a broader diversity of viewpoints. That was code to say that Trumpā€™s white nationalist views deserve representation on their network, because itā€™s part of Americaā€™s diversity of opinion. Thereā€™s no way any POC can take that statement lying down. POCs are in an existential crisis. There is a hostile government led by the Trump-Bannon-Miller ideologues who want to reimpose racial inequality. I have news for the public editor of ESPN: racial equality is not a ā€˜liberalā€™ point of view. Itā€™s enshrined in the laws of our country. Trump gleefully picks at the scab of racism every week, and attempts to belittle black players. When Trump starts in like that and is haranguing owners to support him, African Americans in the sports world need to take a stand. Thatā€™s what Jemele Hill is doing.

8 Likes

Jemele Hill needs to learn that critical intelligence and tv journalism, especially ā€œsports journalismā€ are incompatible. Itā€™s not easy to work oneā€™s way up the ladder to a high-paying job at a leading tv network. But you just canā€™t be intelligent and expect to survive. Look at the survivors, they are nearly all male and deliberately uninformed about everything except their sport. And when pressed for some kind of political opinion, they nearly always come down on the side of the guys who sign their checks, i,e, riight-wing Republicans. Jemele rocks!

1 Like

Please donā€™t ask Mike and Mike to take a stand on anything important or significant. They do sportsā€“the toy department.

1 Like

What fortuitous timing! Itā€™s football season (unless a general strike is called); ESPN is short a black analyst; and, OJ Simpson is out on parole, in need of a gig, and is ready to bring that trademark Juice magic to the network. Win-win-win-win-win.

ESPN is sure to make a killing (ratings-wise).

3 Likes

Once you already despise an organization and have written off a cable channel for life, Iā€™m not sure what other protest you can make that makes a difference but Iā€™m willing to learn.

The Cowboys got whooped at home by the Green Bay Packers again and are owned by Aaron Rodgers the Packer QB who put them out of the playoffs last year.
Cowboys running back is facing a six game suspension for domestic violence I believe and Jerry Jones the Cowboys owner has declared that his players canā€™t protest in their chosen method because ā€˜heā€™ deems it disrespectful to the flag.

Lots of people agree with Jemele Hill, I do, so maybe Jones and the Cowboys ought to quit whining, start winning and try to understand.

As far as ESPN goes, their schtick was old many years ago and appearing to be on Trumpty Dumptyā€™s side is not good optics for them. Suspending Hill because of policy is one thing, staying silent about Preznident Blatant Racism is a whole nother.

2 Likes

Iā€™ve been boycotting ESPN since I got cable, back in 1987ā€¦

O Iā€™d to see some or all of the players say to Jones - OK, we wonā€™t play then.

1 Like