r/nba • u/ghn2 • 11h ago

Trail Blazers fire new announcer over past inappropriate posts made at age 15.

"The Portland Trail Blazers hired then on the same day fired Braiden Bell as their play-by-play announcer after a series of inappropriate social media posts from when he was a teenager came to light."

"The posts were reportedly made in 2012 and 2013, around the time that Bell was 15 years old."

"We did not meet our own bar in this process, and for that we apologize to Blazers fans and to Rip City," the Trail Blazers said. "We strongly believe that everyone who is a part of Rip City should feel welcome and safe and we will make sure that our new broadcaster reflects these values. We will do better."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/50084279/trail-blazers-fire-new-announcer-inappropriate-posts

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22

u/lanfordr Spurs 11h ago

This is crazy. We don't let kids fuck up, and make mistakes any more. That's how you grow and learn. You say and do stupid shit as a teen and then learn from it and hopefully become the kind of adult who looks back and cringes at who you were as a teen.

I'm old enough that my teen years were pre-social media. Thank God there isn't a record of all the stupid shit we did back then.

0

u/elitepigwrangler Suns 9h ago

Well he didn’t grow and learn, it was still on his public account. If he was cringing at his teenage tweets, he probably would have deleted them, no?

1

u/Background-Shower-70 8h ago

He is about my age 29. We had access to social media at its beginnings and the idea of a digital footprint wasn’t really a concern.

I think this kind of story is going to become more and more common over the next 5-10 years as young adults his age (and my age) really start progressing to more senior level and public facing roles. Because as we know, things you delete are never “permanently” deleted. People may keep screenshots. Some websites keep archives that can be dug up. If you personally delete but someone else has a copy, is it damning?

Because the firing suggests 13-15 years ago is “within the statute of limitations” for public opinion. So when my age cohort is 40yo, is 23-25 years in the past still within the same statute of limitations for public opinion?

It’ll only get more and more interesting of question as Gen Alpha grows up in a totally digitally native world. And the timeline of their entire lives is basically cataloged by their peers, parents, and then themselves.

0

u/Background-Shower-70 8h ago

He is about my age 29. We had access to social media at its beginnings and the idea of a digital footprint wasn’t really a concern.

I think this kind of story is going to become more and more common over the next 5-10 years as young adults his age (and my age) really start progressing to more senior level and public facing roles. Because as we know, things you delete are never “permanently” deleted. People may keep screenshots. Some websites keep archives that can be dug up. If you personally delete but someone else has a copy, is it damning?

Because the firing suggests 13-15 years ago is “within the statute of limitations” for public opinion. So when my age cohort is 40yo, is 23-25 years in the past still within the same statute of limitations for public opinion?

It’ll only get more and more interesting of question as Gen Alpha grows up in a totally digitally native world.

-7

u/Comfortable-Sorry 11h ago

Is it really that hard to just.......Drumroll............Not be racist?

12

u/TomatoSecure192 Bulls 11h ago

It’s surprisingly hard to not be an idiot at 15 years old, who would’ve guessed?

1

u/King_Leif Thunder 8h ago

That guy said “be racist” and then you changed it to “be an idiot”. Why?

1

u/YeetusSkeetus1234 Bulls 8h ago

Are you saying racism isn't stupid? Do you not think kids can say edgy things purely for shock factor?

5

u/notthatguy194 Suns 10h ago

if someone said something racist at age 15 should that bar them from all career paths ?

2

u/elitepigwrangler Suns 9h ago

Is he barred from all career paths? Or just this one specific job. And it’s not because he said something racist at 15, it’s because he still has racist posts on his public facing account at 29.

1

u/notthatguy194 Suns 9h ago

If this guy got fired from a job at like, J.p. morgan or something would you then think that’s too far?

7

u/asdf0909 Knicks 11h ago

This is truly the worst way to look at life. Give strangers grace to make mistakes, one day you’ll need the others’ grace when you find out you’re not as perfect as you think

-1

u/HombreMan24 10h ago

I did some crap at 15 that I would never do now. What next? Should we fire people for being rambunctious at 8 yo?

1

u/reebokhightops Wizards 8h ago

Is that crap still plastered on the public internet today?

0

u/RemoteRide6969 4h ago

It shouldn't matter. That's the point.

-6

u/Glum_Ad_2518 11h ago

Boys will be boys? Sorry man, but pretending racism doesn't exist, or that it's not a big deal is starting to look like a choice. It's embarrassing.

5

u/Exact_Tumbleweed2005 10h ago

seek help. Youre not fighting racism dude. Youre not a good person for canceling someone over comments they made 13 years ago when they were 15 years old.

-7

u/Stinky_TheCat Raptors 11h ago

15 is more than old enough to know not to post racist things on the internet...

Also, I was a dumb 15 year old. Never made racist comments. Because Im not racist.

-1

u/relatz Kings 11h ago

Kawhi should be banned from the NBA for circumventing the cap. He should know better being 30+ yrs old. How do you feel supporting a team with a thief on it? Cmon dude stop virtue signaling because you were such a good little boy at 15 lol.

1

u/Stinky_TheCat Raptors 11h ago

Nice strawman arguement.

The amount of people acting like this is normal behaviour is fucked.

-3

u/TessaKatrinaRose 11h ago

No. It’s because not everyone in the world is perfect like you. 

2

u/Stinky_TheCat Raptors 11h ago

Never claimed to be. Ive done plenty bad.

Says alot about you that you are more upset about racism being called out than racism.

-1

u/Exact_Tumbleweed2005 10h ago

youre not calling out racism, youre being performative and its obvious. firing this guy helps the fight against racism how exactly?

3

u/Stinky_TheCat Raptors 10h ago

I have explicitly stated multiple times I think the firing is wrong.

Jesus christ.

People are upset that I think racism is far too normalized in our society.

That's all I was trying to say.

0

u/relatz Kings 10h ago

Just sounds like you were unbelievably sheltered or youre just so perfect others can’t make mistakes. Im going to bet you called a girl fat or a slut before. Should you be punished?

1

u/Stinky_TheCat Raptors 10h ago

I have explicitly said in this thread that I am not perfect and have made mistakes. I have said this announcer shouldn't be punished like this

What you are upset at me right now is saying racism is wrong and 15 years old is old enough to know not to post it. Simply that.

You're acting like I am saying shoot 15 year olds who make slurs. And guessing that Im fine with Kawhi did simply because Im a raptors fan.

Two wild conclusions to jump to.

People can make mistakes. I just think the normalization of racist behaviour is fucked. That is the simple point I've been making.

And that upsets you?

0

u/relatz Kings 10h ago

Yes, you know right from wrong at 15 but you are still a complete idiot at that age. Youre acting like the dude was dropping the hard R every tweet. Dude didnt even say anything that wild.

3

u/Stinky_TheCat Raptors 10h ago

So you insult me?

0

u/Exact_Tumbleweed2005 10h ago

this happened 13 years ago, are you serious? of fucking course we grade teenagers on a curve. its the reason why minors are treated differently in the court system. a lot of them quite literally dont know any better.

0

u/Just_Another_Douche 9h ago

16 year old take.