Mina Kimes is one of the most substantive commentators on ESPN, sharing thoughtful, in-depth analysis on opinion on a variety of the network’s programming including NFL Live, Around the Horn, Debatable, ESPN Daily, and The Mina Kimes Show Featuring Lenny.
Unfortunately, there are still some who try to denounce and belittle her work, largely because she’s a woman. Kimes surely receives more blowback and harassment than most aware of. But she occasionally shares some of the comments to, as she put it, show women that “it never ends and has absolutely nothing to do” with you.
I understand that "Don't amplify" argument, I really do. But I get asked by women every day whether it's normal, and I want people to see: It never ends and it has absolutely nothing to do you with.
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) January 3, 2022
The latest to go after Kimes for no rational reason was former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia. In a since-deleted Instagram post, Garcia went after Kimes for her criticism of current Niners QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
On Tuesday’s First Take, Kimes said Garoppolo was “the worst quarterback left in the postseason” and “the definition of being part of the group project that gets an A, while doing none of the work.”
That apparently touched a nerve with Garcia, who followed up with an Instagram tirade.
“Who the hell is Mina Kimes and when is the last time she threw a touchdown pass in a game?” wrote Garcia. “NEVER! EVER! Has she taken a snap or can truly understand the ability, the mindset, the physical and mental toughness, that it takes to play the QB position in the NFL?”
Garcia’s remarks quickly circulated through social media with many media colleagues and fans moving to Kimes’s defense. Kimes herself responded with a tweet that she later deleted, perhaps thinking that she shouldn’t have done so. Here’s a screenshot, in which Garcia’s full post is also shown:
On one level, Garcia’s attack could be viewed as a “you didn’t play the game” retort often directed at media. But mentioning “mindset” and “physical and mental toughness” sure seemed to refer to Kimes being a woman.
By the way, Garoppolo passed for 121 yards versus the Packers in their divisional playoff game, completing 11 of 19 passes with no touchdowns and one interception.
As mentioned, many responded to Garcia’s attack in defense of Kimes, including her NFL Live colleague Dan Orlovsky.
Maybe Kimes should get the final word on this, responding both to Keyshawn Johnson’s arguing in Garoppolo’s favor on First Take and Garcia’s attempt to belittle her.
Garoppolo and the 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET on Fox. Will the result feed Kimes’s point or present a counter-argument?
Ian Casselberry is a sports media columnist for BSM. He has previously written and edited for Awful Announcing, The Comeback, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation. You can find him on Twitter @iancass or reach him by email at iancass@gmail.com.
So everyone comes to the defense of the female but doesn’t say anything about how she said Garoppolo is the definition of being part of the group project that gets an A, while doing none of the work.
To utter that statement says she knows nothing. It was clear late 4th quarter in the red zone in Green Bay when Garoppolo directed Kittle to get in the right place in the formation pre snap when wasn’t in the right spot. Shanahan’s playbook terminology is so complex there’s no way Garoppolo could be the starting QB without putting the work. NFL starting QB’s are in the building at 7 am and leave at 10 pm and I’m sure Garoppolo having played in New England is no exception.
Garoppolo may not be an elite NFL QB but he’s not bad either, bad QB’s don’t last 8 years and get $137 million dollar contracts. The snowflakes will come after Garcia but what he said was largely valid, forget about putting Kimes on the field, put her or any of her media colleagues in the film room watching the 22 view watching film and everybody will see how little the so called experts know.