Bonnie Bernstein, nervously, compared high school basketball players to Palestinian suicide bombers on a recent airing of the Mike and Mike in the Morning Show.
Jemele Hill recently was suspended by ESPN for writing in her online column that “rooting for the Celtics was like saying Hitler was a victim,” among other not-so-nice things.
And early this year, the Golf Channel suspended anchor Kelly Tilghman for two weeks for saying that young players who wanted to challenge Tiger Woods should “lynch him in a back alley.”
Ladies, we have arrived. But do we have to do everything our male counterparts do?
Yes, we want to play with the big boys. We want a shot at the top sports beats at the big newspapers. We want to saddle up next to John Anderson and Stuart Scott as we read sports to all of America from the other anchor seat. And we’re still looking for a serious shot at the mike in a major city (We would love the sound of the Anna and Anna Morning Radio Show).
And most importantly, we want to be respected for our C-erebrum, not our C-Cup.
But somewhere along the way, some of us took the saying “Anything you can do, I can do better” a little too far. After all, we don’t want to fart, burp, scratch or make other strange noises at will, do we? We’re ladies, after all.
Now, we’ve got a reel it in. After all, as women, we can’t nail Imus to the wall about dissing our fellow basketball-playing sisters, then turn around and do the same thing in print, on television, or over the radio.
Working in the sports industry is nothing new for women, but we shouldn’t be so comfortable that we begin to make the mistakes of our male counterparts. Besides, we don’t want to give the hiring folks (read: men) any other reasons to think we can’t handle the job. Tell me I don’t know my sports as well as the next guy, and I’ll call you a liar. But, if these folks were to pull out a column or a tape of some of my inappropriate comments, then he would have me dead to rights. It’s indefensible (although nobody’s perfect).
As women often say—including those who blog on this site—we don’t want to be treated like men. We wanted to be treated better!
But that starts with behaving better than them.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Father’s (and Daughter’s) Day
The Date: Several Sundays throughout my childhood
The Place: Washington, D.C., and its surrounding areas
The Event: A family gathering
The Scene: The men are in the living room watching football; the women have migrated to the kitchen. I was the one interloper, sitting on my father’s lap, asking him questions about the Redskins. What’s all the screaming about? How was the game played? What was going on? Why did it matter so much to the men in the room? My father never shooed me away or sent me off to my mother’s side. Instead, he plopped me on his lap and taught me the rules.
It was my springboard to becoming a sportswriter. Later, my older brother would continue the tradition, teaching me the ins and outs of sports. I became a sportswriter through the support of my father and brother.
Today, I salute both of these men, these fathers, on Father’s Day.
And because I believe the old adage goes both ways … behind every woman, there’s also a good man (or two).
The Place: Washington, D.C., and its surrounding areas
The Event: A family gathering
The Scene: The men are in the living room watching football; the women have migrated to the kitchen. I was the one interloper, sitting on my father’s lap, asking him questions about the Redskins. What’s all the screaming about? How was the game played? What was going on? Why did it matter so much to the men in the room? My father never shooed me away or sent me off to my mother’s side. Instead, he plopped me on his lap and taught me the rules.
It was my springboard to becoming a sportswriter. Later, my older brother would continue the tradition, teaching me the ins and outs of sports. I became a sportswriter through the support of my father and brother.
Today, I salute both of these men, these fathers, on Father’s Day.
And because I believe the old adage goes both ways … behind every woman, there’s also a good man (or two).
Monday, June 9, 2008
12th Man (and a Baby)
My kid sister is expecting a baby.
This September.
The second Sunday of September.
Football season.
This was my response when she came to me, smiling, to share the big news: “You know, that’s football season, don’t you?” She didn’t quite seem to get it.
Her response: “So.”
I had to sit her down to explain to her the implications of her decision. I spelled out my plans for the fall—football, followed by more football, baseball playoffs, NHL and NBA—and then I told her that having a baby at all in the fall was simply out of the question.
She went on to lecture me about Mother Nature and how the baby will come when she comes. That was when she dropped another bomb on me. She wants me to be in the room with her during the delivery. I told her, sure, as long as she delivers on a Tuesday or Wednesday. I’m a sports junkie, after all. Am I really needed in the room? Or at the hospital? Or even in the same state? What purpose will I serve? Giving play by play as my sister pushes, screams, curses and repeats.
Thursday nights, particularly with the advent of the NFL Network, are becoming more of a football night.
Fridays nights in the fall are completely set aside for high school football, a big deal in small towns across America such as my hometown.
On Saturday, I’m glued to the tube for college football.
On Sundays in the fall, don’t even think about it—it’s NFL from noon until the end of the Sunday night game.
Finally, the cherry on top, is the “Monday Night Football” matchup.
That leaves Tuesday and Wednesday for my sister’s delivery.
She’s checking her schedule.
I’m holding my breath.
This September.
The second Sunday of September.
Football season.
This was my response when she came to me, smiling, to share the big news: “You know, that’s football season, don’t you?” She didn’t quite seem to get it.
Her response: “So.”
I had to sit her down to explain to her the implications of her decision. I spelled out my plans for the fall—football, followed by more football, baseball playoffs, NHL and NBA—and then I told her that having a baby at all in the fall was simply out of the question.
She went on to lecture me about Mother Nature and how the baby will come when she comes. That was when she dropped another bomb on me. She wants me to be in the room with her during the delivery. I told her, sure, as long as she delivers on a Tuesday or Wednesday. I’m a sports junkie, after all. Am I really needed in the room? Or at the hospital? Or even in the same state? What purpose will I serve? Giving play by play as my sister pushes, screams, curses and repeats.
Thursday nights, particularly with the advent of the NFL Network, are becoming more of a football night.
Fridays nights in the fall are completely set aside for high school football, a big deal in small towns across America such as my hometown.
On Saturday, I’m glued to the tube for college football.
On Sundays in the fall, don’t even think about it—it’s NFL from noon until the end of the Sunday night game.
Finally, the cherry on top, is the “Monday Night Football” matchup.
That leaves Tuesday and Wednesday for my sister’s delivery.
She’s checking her schedule.
I’m holding my breath.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Fighting Like A Girl
CBS' coverage of EliteXC's mixed martial arts debuted on Saturday night, with real live analysts, interviews, features and the like. This, some will say, makes it official--MMA has gone mainstream.
However, many folks who follow any underground scene--whether it's MMA, UFC, rock bands or hip hop artists--have not been waiting for CBS or any other network to swoop in to validate it by dedicating a night of coverage and a guaranteed wider audience. The underground scene has always continued to thrive.
Large or small stage aside, Saturday night's MMA was entertaining, controversial and brutal--none of which was changed because there was a national camera shining upon it and a Saturday night audience in tow. In short, with 2, 200, 200 or 2 million fans, the action warranted the spotlight.
One of the highlights of the evening was a battle between Gina "Conviction" Carano and Kaitlin Young in the night's 140-pound bout. It was entertaining and brutal, with Carano coming out on top. There was no screaming or squealing, no slapping, no windmill swings, no hair pulling, no bikinis and no mud--sorry, fellas.
Carano features Boxing, Jujitsu, Mixed Martial Arts and Muay Thai as part of her attack. Young's style includes Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Combat Submission Wrestling, Kickboxing, Mixed Martial Arts, Muay Thai, Tae kwon do. Dare we even mention that one of her favorite movies is "There Will Be Blood." These women are kick ass by day, and killer by night.
At the end of the bout, after “Conviction” was announced the winner, she reached out to Kaitlin and gave her a "nice job" peck on the cheek.
Sisterhood, through and through.
However, many folks who follow any underground scene--whether it's MMA, UFC, rock bands or hip hop artists--have not been waiting for CBS or any other network to swoop in to validate it by dedicating a night of coverage and a guaranteed wider audience. The underground scene has always continued to thrive.
Large or small stage aside, Saturday night's MMA was entertaining, controversial and brutal--none of which was changed because there was a national camera shining upon it and a Saturday night audience in tow. In short, with 2, 200, 200 or 2 million fans, the action warranted the spotlight.
One of the highlights of the evening was a battle between Gina "Conviction" Carano and Kaitlin Young in the night's 140-pound bout. It was entertaining and brutal, with Carano coming out on top. There was no screaming or squealing, no slapping, no windmill swings, no hair pulling, no bikinis and no mud--sorry, fellas.
Carano features Boxing, Jujitsu, Mixed Martial Arts and Muay Thai as part of her attack. Young's style includes Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Combat Submission Wrestling, Kickboxing, Mixed Martial Arts, Muay Thai, Tae kwon do. Dare we even mention that one of her favorite movies is "There Will Be Blood." These women are kick ass by day, and killer by night.
At the end of the bout, after “Conviction” was announced the winner, she reached out to Kaitlin and gave her a "nice job" peck on the cheek.
Sisterhood, through and through.
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