Behind the Line

Jemele Hill's tenure as the anchor for SportsCenter on ESPN was an abject failure. Ratings tanked...she attempted to turn SportsCenter into a show centered around racial politics. ESPN was eventually forced to take action...and parted ways with Jemele Hill.

However...she is now claiming her failure at ESPN was the fault of Clay Travis. Jemele Hill claims ESPN buckled to pressure from pundits like Clay Travis...and that's the reason she was released by ESPN.

We debunk this theory...and explain the real reason Jemele Hill was fired by ESPN. We also delve into the current problems at ESPN...and provide the reason the network continues to struggle.

Preliminary ratings for Game 1 of the NBA Finals were released earlier...and the news wasn't good for the NBA. Last night's Game 1 barely eclipsed Game 1 of the 2020 NBA Finals...and the NBA's ratings were down 43 percent compared to Game 1 in 2019.

We analyze the ratings...and explain why the audience for Game 1 could be the peak for the NBA Finals. We compare to historical ratings...and show how Game 1 usually sets the tone for the series.

We also go over comments Adam Silver made in reference to the NBA's relationship with China.

Sha'Carri Richardson has literally become an overnight celebrity. This time last week...she was unknown. After failing a drug test...and now being left off the United States Olympic team...Sha'Carri Richardson has become a household name.

We explain why the Olympic ban is the best thing to happen to Sha'Carri Richardson. We also question the media and woke culture. They've turned Sha'Carri Richardson into a victim...instead of a rule violator. 

We pose the question...when did we start celebrating failure and non-compliance in this country?

We have been highly critical of Jemele Hill on the channel. Politically...Jemele and I have no common ground. We've made the case that politics have no business in the sports world. This is a perfect example why that needs to be the case.

Jemele Hill and I agree that college athletes should be paid. We also agree on the fact that Reggie Bush should have his Heisman Trophy reinstated...along with the national championship he won at USC.

We look into the new law that allows college athletes to be paid...and explain who will benefit...and who won't.

In the past 48 hours...we have seen an influx of wokers beginning to turn their backs on each other. ESPN is learning the hard way...why you don't allow this type of mentality in your workplace. 

And now...Adrian Wojnarowski has become the next victim. He was a topic of conversation on Dan Le Batard's show Tuesday. He was mentioned by Amin Elhassan...who claimed Woj has a tendency to hold back African Americans at ESPN.

We analyze the comments from Amin Elhassan...and explain how this is another example of the woke turning on the woke.

The major story this week has surrounded the leaked audio involving Rachel Nichols...and the comments she made regarding Maria Taylor. On the surface...Maria Taylor seems to be the victim in this situation.

However...with new details being released...there is more to the story than we initially thought. We analyze the newest report from the New York Times...and re-evaluate our position on Rachel Nichols.

We explain how Rachel Nichols is being setup...and is the real victim in this situation.

The NBA can't be pleased with the matchup for the Finals this year. Small market team in Milwaukee...paired with the two teams involved in the Finals lacking mainstream crossover star power.

We look at the history of NBA Finals ratings...and compare past series to this year's matchup. We explain why it's critical for the NBA to have major markets...superstar players...and interesting storylines to attract the casual viewer.

The NBA is lacking all three this year. We give our prediction for NBA Finals ratings...and explain why the media will attempt to cover for the potential bad ratings.

It appears the woke are eating the woke. Stephen Jackson is a well known voice in the woke community. However...he took to Instagram this morning...and blasted ESPN for their handling of Rachel Nichols and Maria Taylor.

Stephen Jackson claims ESPN only gave Maria Taylor the NBA Finals job last summer because of sympathy. We look into his comments...and determine whether or not we agree with Stephen Jackson.

We also outline the trouble ESPN finds themselves in...and how they created the problems they're currently facing.

Over the weekend...LeBron James was attending a basketball showcase involving his son Bronny James. Late in the game...Bronny James drove the lane to draw a foul...and the PA announcer claimed he was only given the foul call because the arena was named after LeBron James.

This commentary caused LeBron James to go after the PA announcer...and the scene stopped the game for several minutes. Eventually the situation de-escalated...and the game resumed. The confrontation was caught on video...and was released to the public.

LeBron James is now being attacked for coming to the defense of his son. We explain why LeBron James was right in how he handled the situation...and how most parents would've done the same thing.

The New York Times released audio on July 4th that contained comments from Rachel Nichols regarding Maria Taylor. Last year during the NBA Finals...ESPN wanted Maria Taylor to take over hosting duties.

Obviously Rachel Nichols wasn't happy with the idea...and the audio contains her thoughts on the matter. What the audio also proves...is being woke isn't sustainable. Because once the agenda turns on you...you automatically defend yourself against it.

We analyze Rachel Nichols' comments...and explain why this is another example of someone being a hypocrite. We also explain why both Rachel Nichols and Maria Taylor are expendable at ESPN.