ESPN has another PR firestorm flare up. There was no ‘safe’ answer to give on something this charged. Do you give them an ‘A’ an ‘F’ or something in between?
Right on the heels of suspending Jemele Hill for violating Social Media policy, another ESPN personality gets politically charged. And when he did, ESPN showed all the backbone of a wet dishrag.
“ESPN declined to comment on Mr. Wilbon’s remarks.”
Should this really surprise you since it’s owned by Disney, one of the largest Democrat donors?
The personality shooting off his mouth this time was Michael Wilbon of ‘Pardon the Interruption’. Let’s look at what he said.
https://youtu.be/jK9IxqI7JO0?t=8m52s
Showing all the insight and nuance of a partisan Democrat hack, he weighed in on Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones’ policy of insisting his players stand.
“And the word that comes to my mind―and I don’t care who doesn’t like me using it―is plantation. The players are here to serve me, and they will do what I want. No matter how much I pay them, they are not equal to me. That’s what this says to me and mine.”
Plantation, huh?
Good thing he kept it professional and didn’t go for anything pejorative or incendiary. Because the last 8 years of race-baiting have been so wonderful for fostering understanding across different communities.
Plantation.
Serve me.
Do what I want.
Uh… really, Wilbon?
Is that how you really feel?
Let’s say that Wilbon showed up for work in a Batman costume. Would his producer let him go on air? No.
Is that because ESPN is a Plantation? No, dummy — because it’s a place of business. And the minute you agree to receive a check from your employer, you also agree to be bound by certain expectations. One of the big ones is … protecting the reputation of the brand.
If public choices and stands you have made turn public opinion against the team, you have not held up your end of the bargain.
You should be smart enough to follow the logic. They get gazillion-dollar paychecks. Why? Because they can do things on the field that you or I can’t. People love to see the big names play, and are willing to pay top dollar to do it.
But what if a player turns out to be a disappointment; he can’t make the big play; he chokes in the big moment; he has a glass jaw… whatever. He becomes LESS valuable, because fans no longer want to PAY to see him play.
Now add a public protest right at the beginning of the game that about half of your fan base finds PERSONALLY offensive… because it was deliberately chosen for maximum impact and exposure.
You’ve just done the PR equivalent of showing up for your show dressed up as Batman And your boss has every right to protect his brand.
Take a stand if you want. Knock yourself out. But someone with real courage is able to absorb the consequences of important choices. That just might mean being benched. Compared to what others endured at Selma, what the hell are they crying about?
It has nothing to do with race, you idiot.
It’s nothing personal. It’s business. Pure and simple.
If an employee insults his employer’s customers and does violence to the brand… that employer has every right to censure his employees.
Which brings us back to ESPN.
Wilbon just made a jackass of himself on TV, and he made an absolutely slanderous statement against a team’s owner.
ESPN, if there were a backbone in their HR department, would reign him in, too. And demand a formal apology to the team owner — because when he’s on-air, he represents ESPN.
But because ESPN has — through their silence — permitted his statement to stand, unopposed, and uncorrected, we’re predicting another ratings hit on ESPN… IF ESPN still has any ratings left to lose.
https://www.facebook.com/ClashDaily/videos/1485923861524387/
Does your grandpa go off on paltry politicians, whether they be Democrats or Republicans? Does he get misty eyed when he talks about God and Country and America’s future? And have you ever heard him scream, ‘Awww … Hell no!’ when Rosie O’Donnell starts yapping on television? If you answered yes to one, or all of the above, then your gramps will love Doug Giles’ latest book, My Grandpa’s A Patriotic Badass.
Don’t be fooled by the title — this ain’t just for Grandpa.
The Snowflake Generation — and the rest of America — needs a good ol’ dose of ‘Grandpa wisdom’.
Especially if that Grandpa is Doug Giles.
You’ll love My Grandpa’s A Patriotic Badass just as much as Grandpa will.
