ESPN Fires Employee For Jeremy Lin Headline

[deep]

How does this address what I asked at all? Did you even read the whole thing? Or did you just glance at it and read "why can black people make fun of whites, but not the other way around?"? Because that's what you responded to

Sorry no, I obviously did not.

Why a comedian vs a sports writer? A better question.
People expect comedians to be not always politically correct.

A sports writer, does not get that same allowance, or should they. imo.

 

[Jive Turkey]

'slap the ish' out of that guy

This is racist how? Doesnt it mean slap the shit?

 

[Jive Turkey]

Sorry no, I obviously did not.

Why a comedian vs a sports writer? A better question.
People expect comedians to be not always politically correct.

A sports writer, does not get that same allowance, or should they. imo.

Fair.

 

[Jive Turkey]

I'm more offended that the guy fancies himself a stand up comedian with weak shit like that

 

[Canadiens1131]

How does that make it from a copy editor to an editor and still get published?

 

[Irvine511]

my guess is they all thought it was funny, or thought their readers would find it funny, and tried to see if they could get away with it.

which makes them idiots.

 

[deep]

This is racist how? Doesnt it mean slap the shit?

The real problem with Roland Martin and CNN - ComPost - The Washington Post


it was an anti-gay tweet,

again a stupid remark, that if it stayed in the room with his bros, no one would care.

But as a high-profile tweeter, working for CNN, he did this to himself.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

my guess is they all thought it was funny, or thought their readers would find it funny, and tried to see if they could get away with it.

which makes them idiots.

I have to agree with that. I assume even an app or the web site, whatever it was, has at least one editor. Worth the free publicity for ESPN? Are they really at that point? I think that might also beg the question- would they think it was funny and/or the readers would if it was a racist comment about an African American athlete? I was taught when I was a kid that chink was not an acceptable word.

Jeremy Lin apparently said he was not offended and didn't think there was any malicious intent. Classy for him to say, and other athletes have done the same when similar comments have been said about them by writers or commentators.

 

[yolland]

So you guys all assume Federico was lying?

When the headline writer issued his apology, he said the double entendre was completely unintentional and that he was horrified once it dawned on him (it was taken down 30 minutes later), but that he also understood why ESPN fired him.

Seems plausible to me. With web publishing it's often the case that the final (and quite likely the only) proofreader is the same person writing the headline and publishing the article.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I heard on the radio the other day that he was subjected to racist and offensive taunts while he was at Harvard.

From a Time Magazine article from 2009.

Some people still can't look past his ethnicity. Everywhere he plays, Lin is the target of cruel taunts. "It's everything you can imagine," he says. "Racial slurs, racial jokes, all having to do with being Asian." Even at the Ivy League gyms? "I've heard it at most of the Ivies if not all of them," he says. Lin is reluctant to mention the specific nature of such insults, but according to Harvard teammate Oliver McNally, another Ivy League player called him a C word that rhymes with ink during a game last season. On Dec. 23, during Harvard's 86-70 loss to Georgetown in Washington, McNally says, one spectator yelled "Sweet-and-sour pork!" from the stands.

Read more: Jeremy Lin: Asian Basketball Star Faces Racial Slurs - TIME

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Seems plausible to me. With web publishing it's often the case that the final (and quite likely the only) proofreader is the same person writing the headline and publishing the article.

No I don't assume at all that he was lying. I figured that might be the case with something like an app, that there might not be another proofreader. Reading his apology I do feel badly for him and he does seem completely sincere. But I just don't see how you could write something like that and not realize it practically right away. Maybe his age, and he (hopefully) does not use that word in everyday life in a negative type of context. He said he has used the phrase chink in the armor in numerous articles, but again..it is Jeremy Lin.

 

[deep]

So you guys all assume Federico was lying?



Seems plausible to me. With web publishing it's often the case that the final (and quite likely the only) proofreader is the same person writing the headline and publishing the article.

Jeremy Lin says ESPN’s offensive references were unintentional - The Early Lead - The Washington Post

this article says this

Anthony Federico, the 28-year-old fired editor who wrote the headline, told the New York Daily News, “This had nothing to do with me being cute or punny. I’m so sorry that I offended people. I’m so sorry if I offended Jeremy.”

Federico, who said he has used the phrase “at least 100 times in headlines,” wrote the headline at about 2:30 a.m., as his shift was ending. Federico called Lin one of his heroes, on the court and for his religious faith.

“My faith is my life,” he said. “I’d love to tell Jeremy what happened and explain that this was an honest mistake.”

if he has used 'chink in the armor" 100s of times in headlines, that would take a lot of heat off on him.

 

[Jive Turkey]

The real problem with Roland Martin and CNN - ComPost - The Washington Post

it was an anti-gay tweet,

again a stupid remark, that if it stayed in the room with his bros, no one would care.

But as a high-profile tweeter, working for CNN, he did this to himself.

Oh ok. I hadn't read about that. What an idiot. He also looks like he's about to burst in that photo

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

if he has used 'chink in the armor" 100s of times in headlines, that would take a lot of heat off on him.

Yes, and they could look that up. But he also said this

"Federico, 28, said he understands why he was axed. "ESPN did what they had to do," he said."

It's like you said before, it's public not private.

ESPN basically had to do something, they could have suspended him as opposed to firing him. The anchor also used the phrase and his wife is Asian, I guess the anchor got suspended? Can't remember at this point.

 

[yolland]

"Hundreds of times" is almost certainly an exaggeration, but it is true that "chink in the armor" (like "Achilles heel," "weak link" etc.) is frequently used in sports writing because the concept conveyed is relevant to team sports. As I said earlier, I can certainly understand ESPN firing him, since if you're paying someone to proof and write headlines for your publication, then naturally you expect him to show reliable judgment, and his failure to catch that one was a red flag. I'm willing to believe his mistake was innocent though.

 

[deep]

yes, chink in the armor, really has no racial overtones.

It simply means a 'weakness' or crack and is often used,
but in the context of remarking on Lin having a bad game, and as a headline??


Common sense and political correctness should always be applied.

If I asked a co-worker to go to lunch, and he was Mexican American, I probably would not suggest tacos.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Considering every single headline about Lin has been some sort of lame pun, I dint buy for one second that the headline wasn't done on purpose. I'd be much more likely to believe him if he said he made the change as a bad joke around the office and didn't realize he made it live until it was too late.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

yes, chink in the armor, really has no racial overtones.

It simply means a 'weakness' or crack and is often used,
but in the context of remarking on Lin having a bad game, and as a headline??


Common sense and political correctness should always be applied.

If I asked a co-worker to go to lunch, and he was Mexican American, I probably would not suggest tacos.

Your last sentence just proves to me (my opinion) what i was thinking all along. We have been PC'd too death in this stupid fucking country! So what if you wanted tacos? But now you have to suggest fried chicken instead because the guy is a Mexican American. I'd laugh if he retorted back to you "no dummy, take a good look at me, i want fucking tacos"!

If im going to lunch with a coworker who is black OOPS i mean African American, i guess there goes the damn chicken. Better ask them if they want tacos. Unless, of course, we are also going to lunch with a Mexican American, and then we're screwed right? Better plan on Chinese food then....unless Lin happens to be going with us....damn....then we can't eat. We will be starving and unable to perform our duties, and this whole PC thing will (ironically) be the ......wait for it.....CHINK IN OUR ARMOR.

I think the problem with a lot of the hyper-sensitivity here is, people don't know how to be real. I served 8 years in the army, I've heard every possible racial slur known to man, some of which were probably just made up. 99% of the guys i served with didn't give a shit about that stuff. We're men, we can take the ribbing. Sure its different when you have a sports media covering a sports team, and they use a term they've used 100 times before, and now they have to use a different term because it might be offensive. But hey, they're supposed to be professionals. Tell me Lin's teammates dont give him shit for being Chinese, and then tell me he doesn't have fun with that himself? You guys have no idea what goes on in the locker room behind closed doors. They are a team though, they got each others back, and nobody on that team is immune to the smack talk or general pranks of other players.

Next time a coworker wants me to go to dinner with them, god help them if they ask me to go have Indian tacos (im Indian on my mothers side), Greek food (dads side of the family), Irish food (great grandma was Irish), or even a hamburger (cause im white, DUH!). See how ridiculous and out of control this all is?

 

[mikal]

I have a black friend and I suggest fried chicken for dinner all the time. We both enjoy fried chicken a lot.

 

[Irvine511]

Your last sentence just proves to me (my opinion) what i was thinking all along. We have been PC'd too death in this stupid fucking country! So what if you wanted tacos? But now you have to suggest fried chicken instead because the guy is a Mexican American. I'd laugh if he retorted back to you "no dummy, take a good look at me, i want fucking tacos"!

If im going to lunch with a coworker who is black OOPS i mean African American, i guess there goes the damn chicken. Better ask them if they want tacos. Unless, of course, we are also going to lunch with a Mexican American, and then we're screwed right? Better plan on Chinese food then....unless Lin happens to be going with us....damn....then we can't eat. We will be starving and unable to perform our duties, and this whole PC thing will (ironically) be the ......wait for it.....CHINK IN OUR ARMOR.

I think the problem with a lot of the hyper-sensitivity here is, people don't know how to be real. I served 8 years in the army, I've heard every possible racial slur known to man, some of which were probably just made up. 99% of the guys i served with didn't give a shit about that stuff. We're men, we can take the ribbing. Sure its different when you have a sports media covering a sports team, and they use a term they've used 100 times before, and now they have to use a different term because it might be offensive. But hey, they're supposed to be professionals. Tell me Lin's teammates dont give him shit for being Chinese, and then tell me he doesn't have fun with that himself? You guys have no idea what goes on in the locker room behind closed doors. They are a team though, they got each others back, and nobody on that team is immune to the smack talk or general pranks of other players.

Next time a coworker wants me to go to dinner with them, god help them if they ask me to go have Indian tacos (im Indian on my mothers side), Greek food (dads side of the family), Irish food (great grandma was Irish), or even a hamburger (cause im white, DUH!). See how ridiculous and out of control this all is?

white people like us sure do have it tough.

 

[BVS]

I think the problem with a lot of the hyper-sensitivity here is, people don't know how to be real. I served 8 years in the army, I've heard every possible racial slur known to man, some of which were probably just made up. 99% of the guys i served with didn't give a shit about that stuff. We're men, we can take the ribbing. Sure its different when you have a sports media covering a sports team, and they use a term they've used 100 times before, and now they have to use a different term because it might be offensive. But hey, they're supposed to be professionals. Tell me Lin's teammates dont give him shit for being Chinese, and then tell me he doesn't have fun with that himself? You guys have no idea what goes on in the locker room behind closed doors. They are a team though, they got each others back, and nobody on that team is immune to the smack talk or general pranks of other players.

But this isn't about a friend or a teammate giving someone else shit. This is about a major corporation using a racial slur toward an individual, one that's not very well represented in the NBA.

Surely you can see the difference.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Considering every single headline about Lin has been some sort of lame pun, I dint buy for one second that the headline wasn't done on purpose. I'd be much more likely to believe him if he said he made the change as a bad joke around the office and didn't realize he made it live until it was too late.

Exactly. It may well have been an innocent mistake, but honestly, for someone to think that nobody out there would raise an eyebrow at a line like that, they'd have to be incredibly naive. Or have just been born yesterday.

I hate forced apologies, because you will never get any sort of sincere "I'm sorry" out of that, and the person apologizing will often turn it back on the person they made fun of, as a defensive gesture. I do think people should apologize if they clearly hurt someone, but I think they should do it because they want to and because they're genuinely sorry. Not because someone made them. It doesn't mean as much when it's not of your own choosing.

Simply asserting that something is offensive isn't "blowing everything out of proportion."

This is reminiscent of my middle school students protest when they're bullying a classmate that "they're just playing and the kid shouldn't be offended."

My response to them is: "Who are you to decide when they should or shouldn't be bothered by your behavior. If someone indicates that they don't like what you're doing than the ONLY decent thing to do is to cut it out, apologize, and move on."

I agree that people shouldn't constantly feel the need to tiptoe around each other for fear something they say may offend someone, and everyone's sensitivity levels are different, we can't always assume that what offends one person could or should offend all. But at the same time, there are some things that one should just kind of know are pretty dumb and likely immature, if not outright offensive, things that there's really just no logically good reason to say to anyone. And if you're saying them just for shock value, that's just as pathetic. Especially if you're an adult who really should know better.

If you say something outrageous/offensive/whatever, fine, but don't be so shocked if people respond in outrage, and be prepared to deal with the reactions you'll get as a result.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

But this isn't about a friend or a teammate giving someone else shit. This is about a major corporation using a racial slur toward an individual, one that's not very well represented in the NBA.

Surely you can see the difference.

I can see the difference alright, but can YOU? First off, i will play devils advocate and look up the word "chink" for everyone again:

Chink (chngk)
n. Offensive Slang
Used as a disparaging term for person of Chinese birth or descent.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Probably alteration of Chinese.]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
chink 1 (chngk)
n.
A narrow opening, such as a crack or fissure.
tr.v. chinked, chink·ing, chinks
1. To make narrow openings in.
2. To fill narrow openings in.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Probably alteration of obsolete chine, from Middle English, crack, from Old English cine.]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

chinky adj.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
chink 2 (chngk)
n.
A slight, metallic sound, as of coins rattling in a pocket.
intr. & tr.v. chinked, chink·ing, chinks
To make or cause to make a slight, metallic sound.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now that we have determined there are several meanings to the word "chink", lets look at it in context:

Chink in the Armor 167 up, 84 down
1) An narrow opening and vunerable area in one's armor that the opponent will usually aim for. This term relies on "chink" in the sense of "a crack or gap," a meaning dating from about 1400 and used figuratively since the mid-1600s.

2) A figurative term for a one's weakness, largest flaw or their prevention of success.
1) Because of the chink in the armor of Sir Lancelot, his opponent was able to break past his defense and inflict a dangerous flesh wound.

2) We would have aced this presentation if Leo wasn't in our group. He didn't study at all, he's the chink in the armor.

So the term itself, as it was used, isn't considered a racial slur. ESPN said they'd used it "100 times" correct? You acknowledge that Lin's race is one "not very well represented in the NBA" So is it possible they made an oversight here? And that it was not intended as a racial slur against Lin, who appears to not have a problem with the term personally, by his own admittance?

Did they use bad or poor judgement? Yes, of course. But did ESPN do this intentionally to try and make a racial slur against Lin...i seriously doubt it. But again....everyone is so worked up in this Lin hysteria...he's probably embarrassed about all of the hysteria over this "incident". Or he could be laughing at you all (and me too) for all i know....either way...if this is such an outrage then this stupid fucking country has gone to PC HELL. I stand by this comment, this is a stupid fucking country, probably not worthy of the service of so many who have given their lives to defend it.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I can see the difference alright, but can YOU? First off, i will play devils advocate and look up the word "chink" for everyone again:

Now that we have determined there are several meanings to the word "chink", lets look at it in context:

So the term itself, as it was used, isn't considered a racial slur. ESPN said they'd used it "100 times" correct? You acknowledge that Lin's race is one "not very well represented in the NBA" So is it possible they made an oversight here? And that it was not intended as a racial slur against Lin, who appears to not have a problem with the term personally, by his own admittance?

Did they use bad or poor judgement? Yes, of course. But did ESPN do this intentionally to try and make a racial slur against Lin...i seriously doubt it. But again....everyone is so worked up in this Lin hysteria...he's probably embarrassed about all of the hysteria over this "incident". Or he could be laughing at you all (and me too) for all i know....either way...if this is such an outrage then this stupid fucking country has gone to PC HELL. I stand by this comment, this is a stupid fucking country, probably not worthy of the service of so many who have given their lives to defend it.

So after 30,000 straight headlines and stories using nothing but lame Lin puns, the first headline to not make a Lin pun accidentally uses a racial slur about Chinese?

Really? You can't possibly believe that.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

white people like us sure do have it tough.

dont compare yourself to me..... You dont know what i have done, where i have been, etc.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

So after 30,000 straight headlines and stories using nothing but lame Lin puns, the first headline to not make a Lin pun accidentally uses a racial slur about Chinese?

Really? You can't possibly believe that.

i haven't read one goddamn headline about Lin, so yeah, i believe it. I dont live in NEW YORK CITY nor do i give two shits about the latest new york sports hysteria. I haven't watched ESPN since the playoffs, i dont watch late night tv, basically im what you New Yorkers might call "out of touch" here in the heartland, so sue me. Yes im aware of who he is because i do watch the nightly news (to get to know the enemy), but im afraid they haven't done any puns. What is there to pun about the guy? 30,000 times? Big fucking deal, another overpaid athlete who happens to be Chinese. Meanwhile we have soldiers, sailors, airmen, & marines who are getting blown to fuck defending our supposed freedom for peanuts compared to the money this Lin makes. And New Jersey lowers the flag to half staff because Whitney Houston OD's but nobody gives two shits about or kids who get killed every day. Yet we are outraged over stupid comments about "CHINK IN the ARMOR". Give me a fucking break.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i haven't read one goddamn headline about Lin, so yeah, i believe it. I dont live in NEW YORK CITY nor do i give two shits about the latest new york sports hysteria. I haven't watched ESPN since the playoffs, i dont watch late night tv, basically im what you New Yorkers might call "out of touch" here in the heartland, so sue me. Yes im aware of who he is because i do watch the nightly news (to get to know the enemy), but im afraid they haven't done any puns. What is there to pun about the guy? 30,000 times? Big fucking deal, another overpaid athlete who happens to be Chinese. Meanwhile we have soldiers, sailors, airmen, & marines who are getting blown to fuck defending our supposed freedom for peanuts compared to the money this Lin makes. And New Jersey lowers the flag to half staff because Whitney Houston OD's but nobody gives two shits about or kids who get killed every day. Yet we are outraged over stupid comments about "CHINK IN the ARMOR". Give me a fucking break.

MOST-MENTIONED ATHLETES ON ESPN THIS WEEK
Rather than break down the amount of time a specific sports figure was covered, we counted how frequently names were mentioned in the transcripts from the week. The 15 most-mentioned sports people for Feb. 10-16:

Jeremy Lin: 350 mentions
LeBron James: 70
Tiger Woods: 61
Peyton Manning: 56
Phil Mickelson: 46
Kobe Bryant: 44
Blake Griffin: 42
Carmelo Anthony: 37
Amar'e Stoudemire: 32
Dwyane Wade: 30
Chris Paul: 26
Jim Irsay: 24
Rajon Rondo: 23
Tim Tebow: 22
Randy Moss: 20

Lin-citement
-- ESPN.com, Feb. 11

Jeremy Spoke In MSG Today
-- ESPN.com, Feb. 11

Where Linsanity goes from here
-- ESPN.com, Feb. 11

The Lin-sanity continues
-- ESPN.com, Feb. 12

TWC subscribers miss Linsanity
-- ESPN.com, Feb. 12

Lin As In Win
-- ESPN, Feb. 12

But there's more:

Lin launches NBA "Linsanity" with meteoric rise with Knicks
-- Reuters, Feb. 11

Linsanity Rages
-- Washington Post, Feb. 11

It's Official: Linsanity Is for Real
-- Time Magazine, Feb. 11

The Beautifully Linsane
-- Wall Street Journal, Feb. 12

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCAHcfkD3j8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CYFLYRnE9E




your whole angry man thing here is touching. we are all very concerned about dying soldiers, and how we treat them is outrageous.

that said, it has absofuckinglutely nothing to do with this conversation.

you see no way that ESPN could have done this on purpose.

apparently you pay no attention to sports or pop culture whatsoever, so you were not aware that every single headline revolving around Jeremy Lin for the past two weeks has included an incredibly lame pun that included his name.

so your argument? yea, a little incomplete if you truly have no clue about all the ridiculous Lin puns.

because I find it pretty damned impossible that this happened...

ESPN Web Guy: Ya know... I think it's time all these Lin pun headlines stopped. I'm going to break the trend and simply pick a random sports cliche' for when things go wrong!


but yea... Whitney Houston.. grrrr. angry.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Yeah, I'm from the heartland, too, and couldn't care less about sports, and I know who Jeremy Lin is. And Tim Tebow. And Brett Favre. And so on and so forth.

But then again, to be fair, I watch a LOT of TV . And I know a lot of people who watch sports.

I certainly agree that what we do obsess over in the news versus what we don't bother to talk about can be very skewed and ridiculous. And of all the outrageous things in the world, someone making a really stupid, immature headline about an athlete isn't the absolute worst thing to ever happen to anybody.

But it's a topic anyway, and it's what's being discussed in this thread. If you want to talk about the other issues you mentioned, please, start a thread. I'd be more than happy to talk about that stuff. I do think it deserves attention.

 

[BVS]

I can see the difference alright, but can YOU? First off, i will play devils advocate and look up the word "chink" for everyone again:

Now that we have determined there are several meanings to the word "chink", lets look at it in context:

So the term itself, as it was used, isn't considered a racial slur. ESPN said they'd used it "100 times" correct? You acknowledge that Lin's race is one "not very well represented in the NBA" So is it possible they made an oversight here? And that it was not intended as a racial slur against Lin, who appears to not have a problem with the term personally, by his own admittance?

Did they use bad or poor judgement? Yes, of course. But did ESPN do this intentionally to try and make a racial slur against Lin...i seriously doubt it. But again....everyone is so worked up in this Lin hysteria...he's probably embarrassed about all of the hysteria over this "incident". Or he could be laughing at you all (and me too) for all i know....either way...if this is such an outrage then this stupid fucking country has gone to PC HELL. I stand by this comment, this is a stupid fucking country, probably not worthy of the service of so many who have given their lives to defend it.

Faggot has more than one meaning too, so do you want to defend that?

On the other side of "pc hell" are those that are incapable of empathy and constantly defend ignorance. Both sides can be hell.

 

[Jive Turkey]

I hope the don't refer to the arena as MSG in the same headline they mention Lin. Amirite?