Minihane vs. Andrews

Traut

lost his degree
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
12,750
My Desk
Steve Dillard said:
If you delved into the subject (not that it is really worth it), his approach would have been the same if Kurkjian or Rosenthal had softballed the questions. Only, given his on-air persona, he'd have called them gutless pricks, pussies, or other term that would offend.

Digging deeper, he has staked out a position that sideline reporters should act like real reporters:


http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/kirk-minihane/2014/01/14/time-jenny-dell-nesn-relationship-end

The original rant originated from their discussion that the women reporters like Andrews, replacing Oliver, is iteslf sexist. They discussed some of the good but less visually appealing female sideline reporters in positive terms. That led to the discussion of her lack of true journalistic questions to Wainright. One could reasonably infer that his complaint about the objectification of womem sideline reporters, of which he considers Andrews example 1A, is actually pro-women's equality. Unfortunately, the words he chose -- and the fact that a lot of people hate his co-hosts -- obscured that message and have led a lot of people, like those here, to jump to the conclusion that he is anti-women.
Where's Redkluzu to explain this?
 
Did you read what Minihane said? You are free to agree with him. But arguing that his Andrews rant isn't "anti-women" makes me question your reading comprehension skills.
 

smastroyin

simpering whimperer
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2002
20,684
Actually you are making my point perfectly.  He doesn't care about the actual "controversy", he cares about Erin Andrews.
 
His stance may be pro-women in that weird roundabout way, but his attitude is not.  If his intentions are to further the ability of women to do the ultra-important job of asking important sideline questions, then the way to do that is not to rant against Erin Andrews.  It's not her fault that Gillette sells more razors when there is a pretty girl on the sidelines.  So rant about society, rant about TV executives, whoever.  Don't give me this bullshit that insulting a woman who is doing her job as asked by her employers is a bitch and should die because she didn't ask hard hitting questions or press an athlete after an exhibition game to get to the heart of the really fucking important story about nothing.
 

Traut

lost his degree
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
12,750
My Desk
Steve Dillard said:
edit: the offensive part of his discussion/rant was his suggestion that Andrews benefitted from the video of her changing. 
 
“What a bitch. I hate her! What a gutless bitch! Seriously, go away. Drop dead” is the non-offensive part?
 
 

Steve Dillard

wishes drew noticed him instead of sweet & sour
SoSH Member
Oct 7, 2003
5,932
“What a bitch. I hate her! What a gutless bitch! Seriously, go away. Drop dead” is the non-offensive part?[/size]
I never said it wasn't offensive to her. They (and ots of other shows) are offensive to plenty of individuals including similar hyperbole (unless you think he truly wants her to die?). Do you feel each show that calls AJ Pierzynski a "cancer", Beckett fat and lazy, Manny a vile human, Bill Belichik for being a dink to reporters, George Bush for commiting war crimes, etc. has to offer an apology? Or is there a a list of words you can't use, beyond the Carlin 7 words? Is it as simple as using a bad word - was it "bitch" or "gutless"? Or is it that Erin Andrews needs to be protected from this normal discourse because she is a woman?

It seems you are more upset about, and want him punished for, an alleged broader sexism. OK, so what part about that supports your claim that he is "anti-women" and not "anti-Erin Andrews"? I get from your repeated posts here that you hate everything to do with D&C. But trying to stretch this into a claimed misogeny just doesn't ring true.
 

Traut

lost his degree
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
12,750
My Desk
Steve Dillard said:
I never said it wasn't offensive to her. They (and ots of other shows) are offensive to plenty of individuals including similar hyperbole (unless you think he truly wants her to die?). Do you feel each show that calls AJ Pierzynski a "cancer", Beckett fat and lazy, Manny a vile human, Bill Belichik for being a dink to reporters, George Bush for commiting war crimes, etc. has to offer an apology? Or is there a a list of words you can't use, beyond the Carlin 7 words? Is it as simple as using a bad word - was it "bitch" or "gutless"? Or is it that Erin Andrews needs to be protected from this normal discourse because she is a woman?

It seems you are more upset about, and want him punished for, an alleged broader sexism. OK, so what part about that supports your claim that he is "anti-women" and not "anti-Erin Andrews"? I get from your repeated posts here that you hate everything to do with D&C. But trying to stretch this into a claimed misogeny just doesn't ring true.
'There is no defense for the language I used today to describe the work of Erin Andrews. I deserve all the criticism I've received." -Kirk Minihane 
 

mabrowndog

Ask me about total zone...or paint
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 23, 2003
39,676
Falmouth, MA
NortheasternPJ said:
I bet ratings are up today.
 
I flipped on NESN briefly earlier this morning, and they've got Butch Stearns in for Minihane today. No idea if it was planned, or if EEI gave him a "we're not suspending you and you'll still get paid, but take the day off" order.
 

joe dokes

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
30,240
OK, so what part about that supports your claim that he is "anti-women" and not "anti-Erin Andrews"?
 
 
Calling a woman a "gutless bitch" for doing her job in a way in which you do not approve is offensive to all women.  If you want to parse that into "that doesn't mean he's 'anti-women,' knock yourself out. (Perhaps he's just staggeringly ignorant; like Fuzzy Zoeller genuinely thought that Tiger would like watermelon.).  IMO, its a meaningless distinction.  YMMV
 

Dan Murfman

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 21, 2001
4,186
Pawcatuck
mabrowndog said:
 
I flipped on NESN briefly earlier this morning, and they've got Butch Stearns in for Minihane today. No idea if it was planned, or if EEI gave him a "we're not suspending you and you'll still get paid, but take the day off" order.
It was planned. He's in California for a family wedding
 

joe dokes

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
30,240
mabrowndog said:
 
I flipped on NESN briefly earlier this morning, and they've got Butch Stearns in for Minihane today. No idea if it was planned, or if EEI gave him a "we're not suspending you and you'll still get paid, but take the day off" order.
 
Acc to the Entercom statement last night, this was planned in advance, as Minihane is attending a wedding over the weekend.
http://www.boston.com/sports/touching_all_the_bases/2014/07/weeis_kirk_minihane_issues_apology_wont_be_suspended_or_fire.html
 

smastroyin

simpering whimperer
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2002
20,684
I don't doubt that his apology is sincere, nor does it change a single point that I am making.
 
Here's the thing.  Kirk Minihane is never going to be over to my house for cocktails or burgers.  He's never going to really interact with my friends, and he's not likely to ever be my boss or otherwise influence my life or the lives of women I actually know.  So I don't care whether or  not Kirk Minihane the guy not on the radio is a misogynist.  What I care about is whether Kirk Minihane the radio personality feels the need to act in a misogynist way to make a point about women.  Even with a sincere apology, there is a pattern of behavior here.  At the very least, he discredits the work of "pretty" girls and doesn't think they take their craft seriously.  Hey, that's fine.  I think it's still pretty lame (I know several here have the same opinion).  However, his goes beyond that, he seems to genuinely detest these women.  It may not be misogyny in its truest sense.  In fact, I get the impression that it is more about being a self-important sports reporter who thinks sports stories are way more important than they really are.  But, I don't hear him ranting about how only good looking reporters and athletes ever get "behind the desk" gigs.  So there is certainly an element of misogyny, perhaps from the attitude of "this is a man's world and you have to prove yourself with credentials for me to take you seriously" combined with "Pretty girls are there for me to look at, not do anything" which is absolutely misogyny.
 
I think people pile on and cry wolf a lot.  That doesn't make legitimate cases of misogyny go away.
 

Buffalo Head

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 13, 2001
6,864
San Diego, CA
Steve Dillard said:
I never said it wasn't offensive to her. They (and ots of other shows) are offensive to plenty of individuals including similar hyperbole (unless you think he truly wants her to die?). Do you feel each show that calls AJ Pierzynski a "cancer", Beckett fat and lazy, Manny a vile human, Bill Belichik for being a dink to reporters, George Bush for commiting war crimes, etc. has to offer an apology?
 
Or is there a a list of words you can't use, beyond the Carlin 7 words? Is it as simple as using a bad word - was it "bitch" or "gutless"? Or is it that Erin Andrews needs to be protected from this normal discourse because she is a woman?

It seems you are more upset about, and want him punished for, an alleged broader sexism. OK, so what part about that supports your claim that he is "anti-women" and not "anti-Erin Andrews"? I get from your repeated posts here that you hate everything to do with D&C. But trying to stretch this into a claimed misogeny just doesn't ring true.
No, because none of those examples are even in the same equivalency universe as referring to a woman as a "gutless bitch."
 
Is there? I can think of a few. But why don't you tell us. Is there such a list? And if there is, explain why similarly demeaning terms in direct reference to a woman doesn't rise the same level.
 

teddykgb

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
11,016
Chelmsford, MA
smastroyin said:
I don't doubt that his apology is sincere, nor does it change a single point that I am making.
 
Here's the thing.  Kirk Minihane is never going to be over to my house for cocktails or burgers.  He's never going to really interact with my friends, and he's not likely to ever be my boss or otherwise influence my life or the lives of women I actually know.  So I don't care whether or  not Kirk Minihane the guy not on the radio is a misogynist.  What I care about is whether Kirk Minihane the radio personality feels the need to act in a misogynist way to make a point about women.  Even with a sincere apology, there is a pattern of behavior here.  At the very least, he discredits the work of "pretty" girls and doesn't think they take their craft seriously.  Hey, that's fine.  I think it's still pretty lame (I know several here have the same opinion).  However, his goes beyond that, he seems to genuinely detest these women.  It may not be misogyny in its truest sense.  In fact, I get the impression that it is more about being a self-important sports reporter who thinks sports stories are way more important than they really are.  But, I don't hear him ranting about how only good looking reporters and athletes ever get "behind the desk" gigs.  So there is certainly an element of misogyny, perhaps from the attitude of "this is a man's world and you have to prove yourself with credentials for me to take you seriously" combined with "Pretty girls are there for me to look at, not do anything" which is absolutely misogyny.
 
I think people pile on and cry wolf a lot.  That doesn't make legitimate cases of misogyny go away.
 
You're really putting a lot of words in his mouth.  The words he did say were probably bad enough.  I think there's very little reason to go very far on this with Minihane, As with most of this stuff, zero summing it is a pretty good way to end up in a pretty lousy argument.  
I realistically only listen to D+C during commercial breaks of T+R or when they're doing something I'm just not interested in, but I've heard enough of Minihane to know that he's got a pretty healthy distaste for all media types who refuse to ask tough questions.  I sincerely doubt that much of this has to do with Erin Andrews' gender, this guy seems to feel that a journalist's mission is to interrogate, ask the tough questions that nobody wants to hear.  Whether he's right or not I can't say, but I do think that anyone who has listened to him a fair amount would recognize that he's been quite consistent in feeling like it's important to ask challenging questions.
 
Of course, none of that absolves him of what he said, but i'm not sure how much of a crime against humanity it really is.
 

Scoots McBoots

nothing Sinista here
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
2,832
Worcester, MA
Of course, people wouldn't need to be so pissed if they had any faith in WEEI disciplining him. We have years of evidence that they just don't give a shit, which makes the situation more outrageous.
 

smastroyin

simpering whimperer
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2002
20,684
I'm not putting words in his mouth, I'm offering my interpretation of the words he has said in the past.
 
At the end of the day I don't care about Minihane, but there is a history that frames the comments he actually said.  But I'm not here petitioning for him to be suspended or anything like that.  I'm here because people are saying on this board that this was not an example of misogyny.  And since that's just about the stupidest thing I've ever heard, I feel the need to expand on my thoughts for why it is misogyny.  Again, even if Kirk himself, in his daily life, is a perfectly progressive guy, the fact that he goes into this rant on-air is an example of misogyny.  Even if his apology is sincere, it doesn't erase what was said and the feelings behind that.  That's my point.  
 

NortheasternPJ

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 16, 2004
19,271
Vandalman said:
 
Until listeners realize it's Butch Stearns in the Minihane chair.
 
If this doesn't highlight one of the biggest problems at WEEI, i don't know what does.
 
I can't believe they're still trotting out Butch f'ing Sterns on a regular basis. He's on the Boston Media Mount Trashmore if anyone is.
 

JayMags71

Member
SoSH Member
I can't help but wonder if some of his disdain is rooted in professional jealousy. ("If I were there, I'd ask the tough questions! She's only there 'cause she's a broad!") it reminds me of the guys in college who would get rejected, and reflexively dismiss those girls as lesbians.
 

Smiling Joe Hesketh

Throw Momma From the Train
Moderator
SoSH Member
May 20, 2003
35,726
Deep inside Muppet Labs
I think it's much simpler that that: these three guys are enormous assholes and horrible people. We've known that about John Dennis for years due to his private voice mails and twitter fights, and KKKallahan has a long history of homophobia, racism and generally acting like a more hateful version of Archie Bunker. Minihane....well, his comments speak for themselves. A guy who personally attacks a female reporter by calling her a gutless bitch, even if it's just for ratings, is a pretty nasty piece of work.
 
These guys are scumbags.
 

Rovin Romine

Johnny Rico
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
23,683
Miami (oh, Miami!)
teddykgb said:
 
You're really putting a lot of words in his mouth.  The words he did say were probably bad enough.  I think there's very little reason to go very far on this with Minihane, As with most of this stuff, zero summing it is a pretty good way to end up in a pretty lousy argument.  
I realistically only listen to D+C during commercial breaks of T+R or when they're doing something I'm just not interested in, but I've heard enough of Minihane to know that he's got a pretty healthy distaste for all media types who refuse to ask tough questions.  I sincerely doubt that much of this has to do with Erin Andrews' gender, this guy seems to feel that a journalist's mission is to interrogate, ask the tough questions that nobody wants to hear.  Whether he's right or not I can't say, but I do think that anyone who has listened to him a fair amount would recognize that he's been quite consistent in feeling like it's important to ask challenging questions.
 
Of course, none of that absolves him of what he said, but i'm not sure how much of a crime against humanity it really is.
 
I don't think this is remotely defensible on the grounds of Minihane's supposed rigorous standards for professional ethics.  
 
 
JayMags71 said:
I can't help but wonder if some of his disdain is rooted in professional jealousy. ("If I were there, I'd ask the tough questions! She's only there 'cause she's a broad!") it reminds me of the guys in college who would get rejected, and reflexively dismiss those girls as lesbians.
 
This was my first thought as well.  
 
To brig the two posts, perhaps he's correct to be angry about puff journalism.  That said, as a "reporter" he covers a sport, which is largely just entertainment.  I'm also unaware of what insightful journalism Minihane's produced himself.   Live by the opinion piece, die by the opinion piece.   
 

MyDaughterLovesTomGordon

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 26, 2006
14,181
I think Minihane is being encouraged to let his freak flag fly, so to speak, and to get himself ranting, both online and on the radio, as much as possible. 
 
He had himself worked up and went completely over the line. He realized it in the moment, but couldn't walk it back and now he's got to wear it. 
 
I do think the "gutless bitch" comment is pretty damning, though. I'm sorry, but you could go with "gutless" if you want, but when you refer to a woman as a bitch to show that you don't like her, you're "putting her in her place" and denoting that you see her as less than solely because of her gender. That's bullshit. 
 
Gutless dumbass? fine. Gutless moron? No problem. Gutless bitch is bad news. 
 
I don't care if he's suspended, or whatever, but I think less of him and he has lost what respect I sort of had for him. He initially carved out an interesting role as the guy who would call D&C out on their homophobia, especially. Where that person has gone in the past few weeks I'm not sure. 
 

Smiling Joe Hesketh

Throw Momma From the Train
Moderator
SoSH Member
May 20, 2003
35,726
Deep inside Muppet Labs
What does he expect sideline reporters to do, anyway? Hell, even when they're not on the sidelines, questions to players/coaches/managers during breaks in the action are invariably soft-sells. And in the All-Star game, a glorified exhibition? Getting all faux worked-up over a faux controversy and then blaming the sideline reporter for not being hard-hitting is mighty disingenuous.
 
Minihane's an ass, just like his co-workers.
 

soxfan121

JAG
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2002
23,043
teddykgb said:
Of course, none of that absolves him of what he said, but i'm not sure how much of a crime against humanity it really is.
 
Certainly lower on the scale than shady sponsorship deals. ;-)
 
There are nine possible definitions of bitch at dictionary.com; I wonder which bitch definition Minnihan would claim to have been using? One, two and five seem highly unlikely for biological reasons and seven is excluded due to context. Obviously, three seems most likely. 
 
However, nine is intriguing given his "tough questions" persona and the grooved pitch context. Or four, if you think Andrews, personally, was the target. And eight seems to be his general take on sideline reporters. 
 
But obviously three is most likely. And in any case, the word wasn't necessary to whatever point he was making. If his real gripe is that sideline reporters are useless, it can be done without using that word in proximity with an actual human being. If his real gripe is that baseball put on a show with a grooved pitch and Erin Andrews is gutless for participating in such shenanigans, it can be done without sing that word in proximity with an actual human being. And if his gripe is that Andrews is gutless and a bitch for MLB by avoiding the "tough questions", he could have used AND.
 
So, maybe he misspoke. But it's much more likely he used the word like it was the ol' number three; a put-you-in-your-place-woman word. I don't like him so I admit that's what I hear when I listened to him say it. With the intent of discrediting a woman because she's a unpleasant woman.
 
If Jeremy Schaap had been the interviewer, would Minnihan have used bitch? Gutless loser. Gutless coward. Gutless fill-in-the-blank. Again, I don't like Minnihan, so I'm inclined to believe he would have chosen not to use bitch to refer to a male sideline reporter. Which makes it sexist. 
 
Ultimately, this is not a crime against humanity. It is another small skirmish in the on-going battle for equality and polite society. Minnihan, like his mentors, is on the wrong side of it. Women who like sports and have TV talents are going to report on sports. This is not a debate. And they have a right (coughLisaOlsencough) to do the job without gender-specific bullshit.
 
Erin Andrews deserves to be judged on how bad a reporter she is, not that she is a she. (#TeamPamOliver) 
 

j44thor

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
10,961
So Minihane is in CA for a wedding, I wonder if it is near LA at all.  Would love for Jarret Stoll, C for LA Kings, and EA's SO pay him a visit, see who is gutless then.
 
Seriously though as big an idiot as Minihane was for his rant he is equally as stupid for not immediately recognizing that EA was a shill to cover up the controversy of Golden Boy Jeter's hits.
 
It was painfully obvious to anyone with 1/2 a brain that EA was sent in with a script, one that was probably rehearsed with Wainwright before actually going live.
 

Norm Siebern

Member
SoSH Member
May 12, 2003
7,123
Western MD
JayMags71 said:
I can't help but wonder if some of his disdain is rooted in professional jealousy. ("If I were there, I'd ask the tough questions! She's only there 'cause she's a broad!") it reminds me of the guys in college who would get rejected, and reflexively dismiss those girls as lesbians.
Also what I was thinking. It seems obvious to me that Minihane is ragingly jealous. Imagine being him. You are relatively young, but you also know that your professional career may have maxed out as the third wheel on a regional angry sports talk show whose only claim to fame is that it generates hate and controversy. You make, relatively, a small amount of money. Maybe you have a hard time making the mortgage,or you wish you lived in that dream house that you can't afford.

Then you see Erin Andrews, someone of your same generation, whom you believe to be half the "reporter" you fancy yourself to be. She has this sweet gig, she is making huge bank, and she is doing what you perceive to be a lousy job at a cushy job, one that you know you can do better. And why does she have it? You think it only has to do with one thing, and that ain't her journalistic ability. So, you lash out with the hate that you are being paid to exhibit by your employer, and your real feelings come out. And in doing so, you proove why you will always be stuck where you are.

As an aside, any network that hired Harold Reynolds, with his well documented issues with misogyny loses all credibility in its attack on someone else for the same thing.
 
Jul 10, 2002
4,279
Behind
JayMags71 said:
I can't help but wonder if some of his disdain is rooted in professional jealousy. ("If I were there, I'd ask the tough questions! She's only there 'cause she's a broad!") it reminds me of the guys in college who would get rejected, and reflexively dismiss those girls as lesbians.
 
Absolutely.  There's a reason he threw in the "big house" comment.  It all stems from the fact that she is more successful.  And he feels that this success is only because she's "just a pretty face".
 
EDIT: Or what Norm said, but better.
 

moondog80

heart is two sizes two small
SoSH Member
Sep 20, 2005
8,094
Norm Siebern said:
Also what I was thinking. It seems obvious to me that Minihane is ragingly jealous. Imagine being him. You are relatively young, but you also know that your professional career may have maxed out as the third wheel on a regional angry sports talk show whose only claim to fame is that it generates hate and controversy. You make, relatively, a small amount of money. Maybe you have a hard time making the mortgage,or you wish you lived in that dream house that you can't afford.

Then you see Erin Andrews, someone of your same generation, whom you believe to be half the "reporter" you fancy yourself to be. She has this sweet gig, she is making huge bank, and she is doing what you perceive to be a lousy job at a cushy job, one that you know you can do better. And why does she have it? You think it only has to do with one thing, and that ain't her journalistic ability. So, you lash out with the hate that you are being paid to exhibit by your employer, and your real feelings come out. And in doing so, you proove why you will always be stuck where you are.
.
 
That's a fine narrative, but you have no idea if it's true or not. 
 
The whole thing reminds me of when John Calipari called a reporter a "Mexican idiot".  His criticism in general toward the man may have been more or less justified, but the qualifier got him in trouble.  Which is fair.  It was racist in tone.  But it's possible he didn't intend it as such -- maybe he just meant it as an additional descriptor, and he would have done the same thing with any other defining physical characteristic (bald idiot, short idiot, etc.).  People do that sort of thing all the time.  People show vindictiveness toward Mexicans all the time too, of course.  But just because it happens a lot, it's not fair to dump all of that onto this one particular case.
 
I'm fine with saying he screwed up and deserves punishment, and I think the recent wave of awareness toward this sort of language is an overwhelmingly good thing.  But sometimes people just say the wrong thing with no darker motive; let's at least acknowledge this possibility.
 

Norm Siebern

Member
SoSH Member
May 12, 2003
7,123
Western MD
moondog80 said:
That's a fine narrative, but you have no idea if it's true or not.
No I don't. But based on what he said I think it is a reasonable supposition.

In couching this in these terms I want to be clear I am not defending Minihane in the least. He is a sexist and seemingly bitterly jealous. Although both faults are rampant in our society, they are inexcusable, especially in a "professional" (if you want to call Fox Sports and WEEI professional) setting.
 

Rovin Romine

Johnny Rico
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
23,683
Miami (oh, Miami!)
moondog80 said:
 
That's a fine narrative, but you have no idea if it's true or not. 
 
The whole thing reminds me of when John Calipari called a reporter a "Mexican idiot".  His criticism in general toward the man may have been more or less justified, but the qualifier got him in trouble.  Which is fair.  It was racist in tone.  But it's possible he didn't intend it as such -- maybe he just meant it as an additional descriptor, and he would have done the same thing with any other defining physical characteristic (bald idiot, short idiot, etc.).  People do that sort of thing all the time.  People show vindictiveness toward Mexicans all the time too, of course.  But just because it happens a lot, it's not fair to dump all of that onto this one particular case.
 
I'm fine with saying he screwed up and deserves punishment, and I think the recent wave of awareness toward this sort of language is an overwhelmingly good thing.  But sometimes people just say the wrong thing with no darker motive; let's at least acknowledge this possibility.
 
I'd go further and say that people who may not be deeply racist/sexist, when hurt or emotional, might lash out with something racist or sexist out of a desire to be offensive, but not to perpetuate racism/sexism.  (Which is still problematic.)   
 
However, it's another thing when someone who is racist/sexist, forgets themselves and clearly demonstrates that internalized racism/sexism through their comments.
 
This is what Minihane said:
 
 
“What a bitch! I hate her! What a gutless bitch! Seriously, go away. Drop dead. I mean, seriously what the hell is wrong with her? First of all, follow-up. Second of all, the guy admitted he did it. He admitted it. He told reporters he threw a couple of pipe bombs. How is that social media’s fault? I hate her. I seriously hate her so much. Social media is the reason she has a big house! Shut up. Shut up. I shouldn’t call her a bitch, I’m sure she’s a nice person.”
 
Later on the show they referred to her as a "bimbo" and a "bubblehead."
 
If Minihane wants to invoke the defense of "I'm really not sexist, I just said something stupid because I was jealous/angry/professionally outraged" then a) he's got to make a credible showing that he really was jealous/angry/professionally outraged in a way that overrode his good sense of what to say while broadcasting on the air and b) his record is on the table for scrutiny.   I don't think he can credibly carry either.  
 

joe dokes

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
30,240
moondog80 said:
 
 
I'm fine with saying he screwed up and deserves punishment, and I think the recent wave of awareness toward this sort of language is an overwhelmingly good thing.  But sometimes people just say the wrong thing with no darker motive; let's at least acknowledge this possibility.
 
That's a fair point, but I have a hard time believing that an adult in 2014 doesn't use the term he did without it being a reflection of something misogynistic in his bearing. So, yeah its possible. But I dont think its likely. (Maybe he's just spent too much time with D & C and he's going Stockholm.)
 
To get to the jealousy angle, it must be galling for Minihane to have to sit there day after day and, while getting loads of credit for "saving" the D&C show, get paid considerably less than they do, and, if his apology was sincere, sit there and be a part of their rancid shtick, for which they will never apologize. (yes, I know, then he should get a different job . . . )
 

moondog80

heart is two sizes two small
SoSH Member
Sep 20, 2005
8,094
Rovin Romine said:
 
If Minihane wants to invoke the defense of "I'm really not sexist, I just said something stupid because I was jealous/angry/professionally outraged" then a) he's got to make a credible showing that he really was jealous/angry/professionally outraged in a way that overrode his good sense of what to say while broadcasting on the air and b) his record is on the table for scrutiny.   I don't think he can credibly carry either.  
 
 
That's fair.  I guess I'm willing to cut people a little slack on this because, society-wise, we're in the pretty early stages of change here.  This sort of thing wasn't given a second thought until very recently, so maybe it's just ingrained in people that's OK to speak like this, even those who understand and accept why it's wrong. 
 

ForKeeps

New Member
Oct 13, 2011
464
Are people really that bothered by "drop dead" or is it just the combination of that with the actual offensive stuff (which I agree was pretty bad)? How is that any different than saying, "Go to hell"? It's just an expression for pete's sake.
 

URI

stands for life, liberty and the uturian way of li
Moderator
SoSH Member
Aug 18, 2001
10,329
moondog80 said:
But sometimes people just say the wrong thing with no darker motive; let's at least acknowledge this possibility.
I think if Michael Holly, or Lou Merloni, or Dale Arnold, or Christian Fauria said it...I'd be right there with you.

But what has Minihane done to deserve that benefit of the doubt? From what little I've heard of him, he seems like an over aggressive tool, so for me, him saying something like this fits in with his shtick all too well. Especially if the above is true and he kept on calling her "bimbo".
 

moondog80

heart is two sizes two small
SoSH Member
Sep 20, 2005
8,094
URI said:
I think if Michael Holly, or Lou Merloni, or Dale Arnold, or Christian Fauria said it...I'd be right there with you.

But what has Minihane done to deserve that benefit of the doubt? From what little I've heard of him, he seems like an over aggressive tool, so for me, him saying something like this fits in with his shtick all too well. Especially if the above is true and he kept on calling her "bimbo".
 
 
I virtually never listen to WEEI so i wouldn't know. 
 

URI

stands for life, liberty and the uturian way of li
Moderator
SoSH Member
Aug 18, 2001
10,329
I don't either for the obvious reasons.

The Steve Dillards of the world need some help realizing that things like this mean something though.
 

Hendu for Kutch

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 7, 2006
6,920
Nashua, NH
moondog80 said:
 
That's a fine narrative, but you have no idea if it's true or not. 
 
The whole thing reminds me of when John Calipari called a reporter a "Mexican idiot".  His criticism in general toward the man may have been more or less justified, but the qualifier got him in trouble.  Which is fair.  It was racist in tone.  But it's possible he didn't intend it as such -- maybe he just meant it as an additional descriptor, and he would have done the same thing with any other defining physical characteristic (bald idiot, short idiot, etc.).  People do that sort of thing all the time.  People show vindictiveness toward Mexicans all the time too, of course.  But just because it happens a lot, it's not fair to dump all of that onto this one particular case.
 
I'm fine with saying he screwed up and deserves punishment, and I think the recent wave of awareness toward this sort of language is an overwhelmingly good thing.  But sometimes people just say the wrong thing with no darker motive; let's at least acknowledge this possibility.
 
What if Calipari had called the guy a "wetback idiot" or something of that nature?  Mexican is perfectly acceptable as a non-derogatory term.  An entire nation of people can be called that without insult.  If he had called Andrews a "gutless woman", that analogy would hold up.  Pairing a factual identifier like "Mexican/woman" with an insult can sound ugly without intention (or with intention, of course).  But using the word "bitch" kinda sails right past that.
 

RedOctober3829

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
55,298
deep inside Guido territory
This was a contrived bit in an obvious, pathetic attempt to get some ratings.  If they have to stoop this low to attract attention then they are worse off than the numbers indicate they are.  I can't tell you the last time I listened or watched that pathetic show.  They can go fuck themselves.
 

mcpickl

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 23, 2007
4,546
I hope there is enough legs to this story so that they talk about it on air when Kirk returns.
 
I'm interested to hear Kirks' thoughts on people calling for his job, since calling for peoples' jobs is a Kirk Minihane speciality.
 

Reverend

for king and country
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jan 20, 2007
64,026
moondog80 said:
 
That's a fine narrative, but you have no idea if it's true or not. 
 
The whole thing reminds me of when John Calipari called a reporter a "Mexican idiot".  His criticism in general toward the man may have been more or less justified, but the qualifier got him in trouble.  Which is fair.  It was racist in tone.  But it's possible he didn't intend it as such -- maybe he just meant it as an additional descriptor, and he would have done the same thing with any other defining physical characteristic (bald idiot, short idiot, etc.).  People do that sort of thing all the time.  People show vindictiveness toward Mexicans all the time too, of course.  But just because it happens a lot, it's not fair to dump all of that onto this one particular case.
 
I'm fine with saying he screwed up and deserves punishment, and I think the recent wave of awareness toward this sort of language is an overwhelmingly good thing.  But sometimes people just say the wrong thing with no darker motive; let's at least acknowledge this possibility.
 
Ah, but why is Mexican a "qualifier" that would come readily to mind? How is being Mexican like being  bald or short?
 
Can you imagine him calling someone a "white idiot" or a "caucasian idiot" or a "male idiot"?
 

Patriot_Reign

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 21, 2011
1,150
mcpickl said:
I hope there is enough legs to this story so that they talk about it on air when Kirk returns.
 
I'm interested to hear Kirks' thoughts on people calling for his job, since calling for peoples' jobs is a Kirk Minihane speciality.
If I was a betting man I'd say that when the show opens on Monday D&C will make some "clever" references to what happened and then Minihane will have a minute or so to reiterate his apology saying basically "hey she didn't deserve that, I spoke out of tone, I can be a jerk" etc etc.  D&C will predictably guffaw and yuck yuck about backpedaling and so on.
Then on to the next outrageous statements!
 

Traut

lost his degree
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
12,750
My Desk
Doesn't the playbook call for raging against the liberal twitter posse?
 

moondog80

heart is two sizes two small
SoSH Member
Sep 20, 2005
8,094
Reverend said:
 
Ah, but why is Mexican a "qualifier" that would come readily to mind? How is being Mexican like being  bald or short?
 
Can you imagine him calling someone a "white idiot" or a "caucasian idiot" or a "male idiot"?
Because we notice things that are not the norm. "Mexican idiot" is to "White idiot" as "short idiot" is to "average height idiot".
 

Reverend

for king and country
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jan 20, 2007
64,026
moondog80 said:
Because we notice things that are not the norm. "Mexican idiot" is to "White idiot" as "short idiot" is to "average height idiot".
This insight was not lost on me.
 

MyDaughterLovesTomGordon

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 26, 2006
14,181
Keith is great. I follow him as well, and he often makes strong comments on players with histories of partner abuse and he was actually the one who drew my attention to the Times' story on the Hobart football players getting off the hook following a gang bang with a blacked out woman.
 
Would be sweet if someone like Brady or Cherington did that.  
 

luckiestman

Son of the Harpy
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
32,620
I like it when people that live off of manufactured outrage have to deal with manufactured outrage.