My amount of hits have gone up of late and as happy as that has made me,I wondered about TRS.
I like making this a fun site, talking about sports, television, my life, etc, but I felt like every once in a while, I wanted to write about something of substance.
So that led to the shaping of this occasional series-Behind the typewriter.
Today, my good friend Ramon Malpica encouraged me to offer my take on today's controversy and I decided that the time was right to debut the series.
Thanks to Ramon for the encouragement and hopefully I am able to not make any of you that disagree with me mad, but will be able to make you think a bit, even if you still disagree....
I'm sure you know about ESPN's Jemele Hill's comments on Twitter about Donald Trump and his being a "white supremacist" and a "bigot".
Jemele Hill is a ESPN personality and writer (she used to write for the website, not sure if she still does or not) that co-hosts the 6 PM hour of Sportscenter with Michael Smith.
I'm not overly familiar with Ms.Hill's work, but from the limited amount that I have seen, I'm not a fan.
She's pretty loud, likes to be controversial and for someone that has worked in sports media for years, doesn't seem to be as knowledgeable as one with the level of exposure that she is currently receiving should be and her show with Smith doesn't seem to be my preferred sports show.
I'm OK with that the nature of their show with sports, pop culture etc isn't aimed at my demographic, so I'm going to have trouble relating.
Those of you that listen to me on Fightheads know that I'm clueless on the hip-hop/rap artists that Ramon talks about on our show with guests and that the few that I know of are looked at by younger people in the way that I looked at Willie Mays-before my time to see and knowledge by name only.
As far as Michael Smith goes-I liked him years ago when I watched stuff like Around the Horn, but I don't watch those type shows anymore and haven't really seen what he does currently other than his 6 PM Sportscenter.
Here's my issue-As long-time readers know I have a severe dislike for Donald Trump dating back years,but I do have respect for the office of the Presidency of my country.
I don't have an issue with Jemele Hill having an opinion on the President.
I don't even have a problem with expressing an opinion on social media, but you had better not be over the top-your employers are always watching.
I have one as well on the President (I'm pretty sure you can figure it out) and it isn't a positive one, but if I am on social media and say something controversial, the people that employ me can understandably be upset because one could connect my words with them.
That's me doing my everyday job, not someone in the media.
ESPN has every right to be upset with her words because their company is connected with her at every turn-ESPN's Jemele Hill.
When you work in the media, everyone is connected with the employer that allows their voice (through television, radio, print or digitally) to be heard.
When I write something and I try not to be anything but respectful for the most part on topics, I am always aware that someone could take offense, so imagine when someone that is heard by so many says something inflammatory...
I'm not saying that Jemele Hill's comments were right or wrong and I'll refrain from commenting with agreeing or disagreeing with her content.
What I will say is that I think she was very disrespectful to the office, not that she's alone in that right now or in the previous sixteen years in the Bush or Obama administrations.
I'm pretty sure that the days of civility from either side are gone, but it still doesn't give one free reign to represent your employer with your views.
The President may or may not be what Hill claims he is, but it's pretty myopic not to believe that he doesn't have that base as a chunk of his voting group.
However, that doesn't mean that Hill knows this for a fact and she has no proof of such-simply an opinion.
The remarks of some about "Sticking to Sports" and from others that believe that has been changed and won't be returning to form anytime soon,frustrate me.
I look at sports as one of my escapes from the "real world", but I also don't begrudge others (athletes, front office or media) opinions.
However, I cannot control whether my favorite baseball player or actress has an opinion,I can somewhat control how the networks covering them and their employees offer their opinion-I can choose not to watch.
Just realize that your employer is not like others, your employer sees all and knows all-thanks to media, social and otherwise.
In the end my problem with Jemele Hill wasn't what she said or how she said it, it was more that people shouldn't be mad about her employer being unhappy or even her employer not terminating her employment.
Still, Hill should have been smarter in this day and age, as should ESPN.....
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