NHL analyst faces backlash after insensitive comment, George Karl and Mark Jackson trade Twitter jabs, and more sports news
Mike Milbury's comment about how women could be a disruption in the NHL bubble is the latest opinion of his that has viewers upset.
It hasn’t been a good week for announcers.
NHL analyst Mike Milbury is the latest example after his comments on the NHL bubble and women. Cohost John Furslund spoke about the bubble environment when Milsbury made his insensitive comment.
“If you think about it, it’s a terrific environment with regard to — if you enjoy playing and enjoy being with your teammates for long periods of time, it’s a perfect place,” Forslund said.
Milbury responded, "Not even any woman here to disrupt your concentration."
It’s not the first time Milbury has been in the news since the NHL’s return. He also questioned Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask’s reason for opting out earlier this month. Rask chose to be with his wife and three young daughters.
It will be interesting to see if this is the final straw for Milbury. He has been involved with TV broadcasting since 2008.
The NHL released a statement about Milbury’s actions.
“The National Hockey League condemns the insensitive and insulting comment that Mike Milbury made during last night’s broadcast and we have communicated our feelings to NBC,” the statement read. “The comment did not reflect the NHL’s values and commitment to making our game more inclusive and welcoming to all.”
Milbury also issued an apology, saying it wasn’t his intention to disrespect anyone.
Mark Jackson and George Karl get defensive on Twitter
It’s not often we see two former NBA coaches trading jabs over social media, but 2020 hasn’t been a normal year.
Former Denver Nuggets coach George Karl didn’t take too kindly to Mark Jackson’s comments on an ESPN broadcast about Carmelo Anthony. Jackson noted Anthony’s willingness to play defense and questioned if he was properly motivated by his past teams, when he wasn’t playing the same caliber of defense.
“There’s a shared responsibility for whoever allowed that defense to be played because for some reason, he has brought in with this culture, and he’s committed to it,” Jackson said during the Lakers-Blazers game.
There’s a saying that a wounded dog will howl, and even though Jackson didn’t specifically name-drop Karl, Anthony’s former coach in Denver felt disrespected, so he fired back.
Jackson coached the Warriors from 2011-14. They went from 23 to 51 wins in Jackson’s three seasons, but Golden State went to five consecutive NBA Finals after he was fired.
Warriors players credit Jackson for his help in building the dynasty. Current head coach Steve Kerr credits Jackson for turning them into a great defensive team. That didn’t stop Karl from acknowledging that Jackson didn’t get over the hump, but it didn’t take long for the ESPN broadcaster to fire back.
If you remember, it was Jackson who put Karl out in his final season as a head coach. The Nuggets fired Karl in 2013 after losing a 4-2 series against the Warriors in the first round. Maybe Karl has some bad blood from that series.
Jackson’s statement wasn’t wrong. As a player, his Indiana Pacers defeated Karl’s Milwaukee Bucks in the 1999 and 2000 playoffs. Between coaching and playing, Jackson is 3-0 in the playoffs against Karl.
Head-to-head, Jackson has a clear advantage, but Karl’s Hall of Fame coaching resume is legit. Karl is sixth all-time in wins and led the Seattle SuperSonics to the NBA Finals in 1996.
Washington Football team head coach Ron Rivera diagnosed with cancer
Washington Football Team head coach has been diagnosed with lymph node cancer. Reports are that the cancer is still in the early stages, so Rivera is planning on getting treatment and coaching.
“I’m planning to go on coaching,” he told Schefter. “Doctors encouraged me to do it too. They said, ‘If you feel strongly, do it. Don’t slow down, do your physical activities.’ But everyone keeps telling me by week three or four, you’ll start feeling it.”
If the treatment limits Rivera’s coaching abilities, he said that he does have a plan B in place.
Since being hired in January, Rivera has been in charge of a complete culture shift in Washington’s organization. He’s hired more people of color and minorities to change the old outlook on Washington while making it a more diverse and inclusive place.
Julie Donaldson and Jason Wright are two of the most notable hires. Donaldson will be the first woman to be a regular part of an NFL’s broadcast team, and Wright became the first Black person to be hired as team president of an NFL team.