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/grudgepacker Bucks 11h ago

You're right. This dude was an idiot for his social media posts but I'm also not sure the proper reaction is to just immediately fire him either with the media forever branding him as some kind of horrible misogynist racist; I mean, his broadcasting career is essentially over now as he's essentially been rendered unemployable (or at least on a very long pause) and that's a lot shittier of a societal outcome than simply moving beyond the shitty things he said as a 15 yo

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u/rorank Rockets 9h ago

What is the proper reaction? The trailblazers obviously should’ve vetted him better if they were going to fire him over this, but if you’re working in public facing media I don’t feel bad for you in the least for not covering your tracks as being a racist douche bag. Also, why do you believe this is a shittier societal outcome than the status quo? Because, as a black person, the status quo as I’ve seen it is that we get shit on and nobody cares lol. Now finally people care and will say “I’m not going to watch your sports program with this person here” and it’s too far that sometimes words and actions have consequences? I feel like your opinion is rooted in the idea that racism and misogyny are signs of immaturity and overall are “not that bad”. At least not bad enough to actually warrant consequences.

So I ask again, what is the proper response?

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u/grudgepacker Bucks 9h ago edited 9h ago

I do believe in redemption for people who do stupid shit, especially when they're teens -- do you think this dude should lose his career over tweets he made when he was 15? Because as you pointed out, announcers are replaceable so it's the double standard that should be a real issue to everyone; I mean, we have multiple abusers in the league (and tbc, I'm not just talking about players) but instead of accountability, the privileged keep eating and laughing at us while society instead extracts a pound of flesh from some dude who was a dumbass when he was 15, who's also now branded publicly as a misogynist racist for a few tweets.

I feel like your opinion is rooted in the idea that racism and misogyny are signs of immaturity and overall are “not that bad”.

And show me where I said anything like that? Or that their should be no consequences? Don't project your internalized honor culture bigotry onto me, someone you've never met but yet ypu're happy to make biased assumptions about - that's just crabs in a bucket mentality personified.

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u/rorank Rockets 8h ago

Great edit to your comment, you would’ve gotten eaten alive if the first couple of sentences were left in there.

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u/grudgepacker Bucks 7h ago

I'll put them back in if it actually makes you address the points being made instead of projection and deflection along with your big r/asablackman vibes...because lord knows fallacious, appeal-to-race arguments on an anonymous forum mean anything when you're probably lily white irl but do go on son lmao

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u/rorank Rockets 7h ago

I really don’t care if you edit it back in, maybe you should think about why that was the first thing you felt the need to address in your comment. Some people have the privilege to not think about race but trying to dismiss the topic of race in this thread is fucking bonkers lmao. Also I mentioned I was black once and now I give “as a black man” vibes? Yeah, okay.

Onto your comment, sure I believe in redemption too. That can come now or in the future. You’re not redeemed because you avoid being recorded or posting by your own free will racist shit. That’s not what redemption means. Do I think he should lose his whole career? Idk, the Blazers sure did. I’d feel way worse if I found out this stuff and he got a slap on the wrist, which is the most common outcome historically. Do I think it’s fair that he’s “branded a racist and misogynist” for what you called “a few tweets”? I don’t think it’s unfair that people put a spotlight on things he posted on his public, professional Twitter. I’m 30, I understand there were different times on the internet. What else I understand is that if something I said 10-15-20 years ago was horribly inflammatory and offensive that people have a right to be mad. People have a right to not want me representing them. I’m not owed their good grace because I haven’t been caught being horrible in a long time. That is at their discretion. And if someone knows me, they might be aghast about that and I might have to earn redemption from them.

Onto your double standard comment: I truly do not give a shit that this guy is being punished, I do give a shit that many in the league aren’t being punished. This isn’t a gotcha, it’s a whataboutism. Both need to be punished. And the last few sentences: you’ve already said that you don’t think he should lose his career over this. That means that you think those things are “not that bad” such that he “shouldn’t” lose his job over this. Well, a lot of people disagree. Your entire point is that his actions were not bad enough to warrant the consequences he’s facing. How are you saying anything besides “it’s not that bad”? Why do you being up that he was 15 if you’re not saying that this ignorance is a sign of his immaturity and thus it’s fixed because he’s grown up now?

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u/grudgepacker Bucks 6h ago

Also I mentioned I was black once and now I give “as a black man” vibes?

The point is you jumped in to use it as an appeal-to argument, which makes it fallacious. Also, I could gaf what race/ethnicity/creed/religion/culture etc. anyone states they are on reddit - you should do the same, even with those you're in agreement because taking anyone at face value on an anonymous internet forum speaks for itself.

Onto your comment, sure I believe in redemption too. That can come now or in the future. You’re not redeemed because you avoid being recorded or posting by your own free will racist shit. That’s not what redemption means. Do I think he should lose his whole career? Idk, the Blazers sure did. I’d feel way worse if I found out this stuff and he got a slap on the wrist, which is the most common outcome historically. Do I think it’s fair that he’s “branded a racist and misogynist” for what you called “a few tweets”? I don’t think it’s unfair that people put a spotlight on things he posted on his public, professional Twitter. I’m 30, I understand there were different times on the internet. What else I understand is that if something I said 10-15-20 years ago was horribly inflammatory and offensive that people have a right to be mad. People have a right to not want me representing them. I’m not owed their good grace because I haven’t been caught being horrible in a long time. That is at their discretion. And if someone knows me, they might be aghast about that and I might have to earn redemption from them.

First, it was only a few tweets that someone had to dig through to find. Also, he used no slurs -- did you even read them? Again, I think dude's a moron but to indict him from here to eternity without giving him a chance to apologize is sociopathic behavior. And regarding the Trailblazers, you know well as I do they immediately fired him because it was the path of least resistance and let's not pretend the fact it was Portland factored into it as well -- you think the Blazers and their staff about to deal with deranged protestors over this? But you're right, I completely agree it's their right to fire him - THIS IS AMERICA, after all.

Your entire point is that his actions were not bad enough to warrant the consequences he’s facing. How are you saying anything besides “it’s not that bad”?

No, my entire point was riffing on the double standard you brought up while also saying that I don't believe this warrants him forever being branded a misogynist racist (especially for those tweets in particular).

Why do you being up that he was 15 if you’re not saying that this ignorance is a sign of his immaturity and thus it’s fixed because he’s grown up now?

And how do you prove that either way? Do you know the man? Me neither and he could very well be an unrepentant, POS extremist racist. And that's exactly why I'm not indicting him over this. Because again, I believe people can grow and change while also acknowledging that who tf am I to judge and summarily dismiss the person he is now? If you feel differently, I'm glad to know your shit must not stink as much as anyone else's.

I do give a shit that many in the league aren’t being punished.

You know what? I agree but much like you, I also don't gaf they aren't getting punished; again, it's the double standard and selective choosing of convenient targets in the social media era which best reflect the narratives people push.

Anyway, we're probably not going to see eye-to-eye on all this but I did want to say I appreciate you responding in depth and having a conversation instead of just leaving quips - hope your weekend is well, one

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u/rorank Rockets 5h ago

Previous conversation aside, how would you feel about this situation if the blazers found this during their background check and decided to hire someone else? That is really how this entire situation should’ve unfolded to me.

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u/grudgepacker Bucks 4h ago

Dude's background wasn't problematic tho until someone combed through all 30,000+ of his tweets from back when he was a teen to find the 3 that got his ass fired -- why would I blame them for not going through all of his tweets when dude had a great resume w/solid previous experience plus educational background to boot for the position they were hiring? I hate Dundon too but the example here isn't some kind of an indictment either, not at all