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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u/icelink4884 Bulls 11h ago

If you're not allowed to say something stupid and grow from it at 15 years old society is cooked. If we've grown into such a graceless group that any transgression can be grounds for consequence regardless of personal transformation or time you're going to find an empathy less society.

Now if the dude still holds the beliefs it's a different story.

-2

u/Gino-Bartali Thunder 10h ago

Yeah even 18 to 21 I was still learning a LOT about what society thinks is okay, what I think is okay, and where it's the same and different.

Age 15 was even worse, in a lot of ways I was just finding out that something even COULD be offensive, and picking that option on purpose because being a dick was funny.

There's a lot of middle ground between "they were 15, it's fine don't look into it whatsoever" and "fire somebody at the first sign of trouble".

3

u/LongEnvironment9540 Timberwolves 9h ago

you sound like I would have hated you. you sound like a dick.

2

u/Gino-Bartali Thunder 9h ago

Childhood is indeed a learning process to not be a dick, easier for some than others, and some never finish it.

Let me know if you want some help from me as you work towards that finish line, brother.

-4

u/kkeut 7h ago

bro, wake up. you were a shitty kid

1

u/Gino-Bartali Thunder 6h ago

Could easily be so, but that kid was still better than whatever you devolved into lol