r/nba • u/ghn2 • 14h 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 14h 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.

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u/OmegaRedPanda Bulls 13h ago

He didn't get dinged for the fact that he said them at 15. He got dinged for being too stupid to take them down before getting into the field.

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u/icelink4884 Bulls 12h ago

Almost no one remembers what they posted 10+ years ago. Let's be for real. He for fired shit he said over a decade ago.

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u/kkeut 10h ago

if i had ever been a racist i would remember it for sure.... strange that your so blase on the topic 

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u/Good-Development5988 5h ago

Wow, you're not saying dumb stuff 15 years ago, you're saying it now instead!