How popular is the phrase “If you haven’t been fired, you haven’t been in radio?” We’ve all heard it, and I’m guessing the on-air talent leaving ESPN last week had heard it, too.
Friday was not a fun day to work in the “covering the sports media” field. I’m sure it was a hell of a lot less fun to work at ESPN, or be one of the people who were written about in nearly every publication.
I was blown away, however, by the number of people — both inside the industry and out — that celebrated the moves.
If you dislike ESPN or The Walt Disney Company, that’s fine. You’re entitled to your opinion. Even if you dislike Jalen Rose, Max Kellerman, Todd McShay, or any of the other numerous on-air personnel who were let go, that’s ok, too.
But to celebrate their job loss? That takes things to a new level of gross.
I’m convinced that we lose sight of the fact that people on our TV screens are real people, who have the same emotions we do, and go through the same trials, tribulations, and successes that we experience.
Color me guilty as charged at times, too. When Mark May was let go from ESPN, I couldn’t pretend to hide my excitement. But then I came to a sobering realization: that was probably Mark May’s final job. Doing a job that he conceivably loved. And here I was, celebrating the demise of a man’s career simply because he said things I didn’t like about my favorite college football team. And what does that say about me?
What cemented this feeling for me came from a non-media situation. One of my best friends played Division I football and worked his tail off to get an opportunity in the NFL. Through determination and a few injuries, he was activated for a game, playing tight end for the Detroit Lions.
On what was likely the final drive of the game, he was open seemingly every play. On a crucial third down play, Matthew Stafford zipped him the ball. It bounced off his hands and into the arms of a New Orleans Saints defender. The game appeared lost. By some miracle, the Lions went on to win the game, but the messages to his Twitter account were disgusting. Horrible. Borderline insane.
In what should have been one of the biggest triumphs of his life — playing in an NFL game! — I had to wait inside the stadium as he exited the locker room to tell him “Don’t look at your Twitter tonight”, because the messages were abhorrent.
But NFL players, like ESPN personalities who were let go last week, are real people. They frankly had a really shitty day not just at work, but in life, and — just a hunch — your “Thank God Jalen Rose, one of the Kings of Woke ESPN, got fired today. He sucked and brought this upon himself” tweet probably didn’t help.
I just can’t for the life of me fathom having that much hate in my heart as a grown-ass man.
It isn’t difficult to grasp the reality of the situation. Families will be uprooted, uncertainty will reign supreme, and some will take drastic pay cuts just to find some semblance of work. And yet, people who likely know what it is like to see their job eliminated in front of their eyes, couldn’t help but find joy in the downfall of others? What a sad state.
I know what it’s like to see your job leave you in a moment. Chances are you might know, too. And while you might want to cheer ESPN’s downfall, take a step back and remember that these are actual human beings, with real lives, real feelings, real families, and real questions about what their lives look like going forward.
If you find joy in that, do some soul-searching. I know what it says about you. I just hope you realize it soon, too.
Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing bi-weekly industry features and a weekly column. He has previously served as Program Director and Afternoon Co-Host on 93.1 The Fan in Lima, OH, and is the radio play-by-play voice of Northern Michigan University hockey. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
