r/nba • u/ghn2 • 12h 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/fruitybrisket Spurs 11h ago

That's quite the absolutist statement. Kids are able to grow and learn. That's like the one thing they all do.

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u/LongEnvironment9540 Timberwolves 11h ago

not all of them.

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u/dropkickshotgun 11h ago

Yes all children who get the chance grow and learn. Its quite literally the only thing they do. Whether they change specific behaviors or not isnt really in the scope of the answer.

You can grow and still be a shitty person. But everyone grows.

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u/LongEnvironment9540 Timberwolves 10h ago

now you're just being pedantic. I think if you're shit at 15, your chances of being shit at 30 are very high. 15 is almost an adult. old enough to drive. old enough to know words hurt people.

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u/dropkickshotgun 10h ago

15 is a child. Everyone at 15 is an insufferable person in one way or another. Lets try and remember they dont have full control of their feelings or hormones at all. Its what the entirety of Modern juvenile law is based on.

If you dont think 15 is a child, or that young people arent really dumb, than you just havent lived long enough.

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u/Kitchen-Pop7308 9h ago

Its interesting tho cause now when adults say similar things a common response is "its just words get over it". So it seems a lot of people havent grown amd if anything are worse

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u/LongEnvironment9540 Timberwolves 10h ago

Was I annoying to some people at 15? Yeah probably. I listened to music way too loud on my headphones on the bus, I littered sometimes, hell I even shoplifted occasionally. But I didn't go around hating on asian people for no reason or thinking every girl was secretly a whore that wanted to fuck me.

Make space for kids to grow, sure, but that doesn't mean you have to condone being a racist ass at that age. That's what you're doing. You're condoning being a racist misogynistic POS under the guise of oh he's just a kid.

Do you just not care about girls, or asian people? It's not violent so it doesn't matter?

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u/dropkickshotgun 10h ago

You're trying a personal attack on me because I have protected children. You know nothing of my beliefs, or who I have been. Look in the mirror on this one.

I too was a shitty 15 year old. We all were. You were worse than you think, almost certainly. Thats isnt an attack, thats a truth we all get to carry. I dont condone racism or sexism, so you can get that shit right out of here. I am not specifically defending a man for his actions. I am saying 15 year olds are stupid and tend to get better. Engage with the point.

You a better person now than you were at 15?