More Cuts at ESPN

I didn’t realize you were allowed to violate your NDA as long as you did it anonymously.

 

Mission Accomplished

 

Appropriate thread title name considering Nichols just shanked Taylor.

 

1) Nichols is right in that ESPN was clearly pressured into this, and their history on women is awful. Also, it apparently never crossed their mind to just have Nichols and Taylor co-host, or hell, give Taylor a much more prominent role with their college football coverage, which is a year-long beat at this point. ESPN is strongly still in the mindset of "one woman per show," unless it's a woman's sport.

2) Even if #1 is true, Nichols pretty much went Full Karen / NIMBY when it came to her to sacrifice her air time. Reminds me of the old George Carlin bit. "People want more prisons, we can't build enough prisons! ... BUT NOT HERE."

 

Are there any NBA fans on this thread? Is there a remarkable difference between Rachel and Maria? Was one clearly more deserving of that gig that the other?

On one hand, I get that Rachel is career-driven and looking out for herself. On the other hand, she made the mistake of saying out loud the dumb thing that she was thinking (even if she didn’t know she was being recorded) and she is rightfully getting blasted for it. The Woj quote about her not being a team player makes me wonder if this is an isolated incident or if there were other issues that had been simmering.

Either way, this just sucks for Maria. She didn’t ask to be drug into this mess. I’m not sure if she can go back to ESPN now after the week she’s had with this story and the presumably leaked by ESPN piece about her contract.

 

Me thinks Maria Taylor just got her raise.

I don't think what Rachel Nichols said was incorrect. She's probably right. You just can't verbalize it.

She also has to know that Maria Taylor checks ALL the boxes in what you'd want for a TV sports host/anchor. If you put their "sizzle reels" (90 seconds of a montage of their best work) back-to-back, Maria would get the nod. Rachel has been very good for a long time. Maria plays at a higher level when it comes to hosting.

The NBA Finals hosting has gone from Sage Steele to Nichols and, now, to Maria Taylor. (Perhaps there was someone in there.)

Nichols certainly has the credibility for the hosting role but she also had to know this day was coming. She was even "one of us" for a while -- working in print before making the transition to broadcast.

I can't imagine ESPN will have her out there for The Finals after this.

Ego and airtime play a major component here as well. For anyone who has been an anchor/host and then, for the same event, gets shifted to sideline reporter, it is a major blow to ego. It’s happened to me before. It absolutely sucks. It’s your boss saying “we found someone better but we have to keep you around to do something until you leave.”

A rule of being an anchor. Be friendly. Help when asked. NEVER groom someone.

 

Woj called Rachel Nichols a bad teammate! Hahaha

 

Just look at Today
Women co-hosts work pretty well
As for Maria, this isn’t the first time this has happened
When Maria got the college football job, she was promoted over Holly Rowe
Holly’s knowledge, experience and loyalty were no match for the sight of Maria in leather pants

 

She’s 47. She knows how this game is played.

 

Tuesday might be the first time I’ve ever made the NBA finals pregame show appointment viewing. Mission accomplished, Bristol.