OKC Announcer Suspended

[BostonBob]

Personally I think this is much ado about nothing but am curious what others here think.

from cbssports.com:

The Oklahoma City Thunder suspended play-by-play announcer Brian Davis for one game following his racially insensitive comment about Thunder star Russell Westbrook.

During the Thunder's final regular-season game on Wednesday night, Davis said that Westbrook was "out of his cotton-picking mind" following a nifty assist by the guard. Westbrook finished the game with six points, 20 rebounds and 19 assists, as he clinched averaging a triple-double for the second straight season.

Davis issued a statement to ESPN in which he said, "It is with great remorse and humility that I accept this suspension for the insensitive words I used during Wednesday's broadcast. While unintentional, I understand and acknowledge the gravity of the situation."

Click to read more...

 

[Virtanen18]

I think that's the first time I've heard it said, but apparently it's pretty common saying, especially in the south, that doesn't have racist meaning (according to the r/nba thread lol).

That said, I'd say it was quite tone deaf.

 

[Stylizer1]

Anyone who grew up watching Dukes of Hazard most likely heard that phrase plenty of times. It's just one of those things.

 

[tony d]

I've heard cotton picking mentioned before, I can get how it can be construed as racist but don't know if a suspension was necessary.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Bit of an overreaction but hardly surprising given today's trigger-happy climate.

 

[BigMac1212]

"Cotton-Picking Mind" is now racially offensive. I need to make a list of what's PC and anti-PC in this day and age.

 

[dahrougem2]

I'm not going to lie I laughed when I read what he said initially.

 

[Cassano]

I'm not going to lie I laughed when I read what he said initially.

Same here. It reminded me of guy talking about the sharecropping field trip. (Which was hilarious would recommend watching)

I think the suspension is right though. You can't be saying racial terms like that on national television without backlash.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Same here. It reminded me of guy talking about the sharecropping field trip. (Which was hilarious would recommend watching)

I think the suspension is right though. You can't be saying racial terms like that on national television without backlash.

1 game sounds fair. Its a mistake so he doesn't deserve to be fired but a message needed to be sent.

 

[Stylizer1]

 

[Vamos Rafa]

"Cotton-Picking Mind" is now racially offensive. I need to make a list of what's PC and anti-PC in this day and age.

It's not about being offensive. You just have to watch what the hell you're saying. Even when you have no intention to say racist things, you should know that what you're saying has its roots. Just like you know it can be awkward to have monkey and black people in the same sentence, or saying "chink in the armor" with an Asian person involved, or even saying the word Nazi next to someone from Germany.

Brian Davis should be fired for a different reason: for referring to the Thunder in a singular form. "THUNDER WINS! THUNDER WINS!" "Thunder is leading by 10."

 

[Stylizer1]

It's not about being offensive. You just have to watch what the hell you're saying. Even when you have no intention to say racist things, you should know that what you're saying has its roots. Just like you know it can be awkward to have monkey and black people in the same sentence, or saying "chink in the armor" with an Asian person involved, or even saying the word Nazi next to someone from Germany.

Brian Davis should be fired for a different reason: for referring to the Thunder in a singular form. "THUNDER WINS! THUNDER WINS!" "Thunder is leading by 10."

Not that it is okay but people from generations grew up with different catch phrases. With the amount of words a play by play guy uses a slip of the tongue without malice should be taken into consideration. Maybe he had no idea of the origins of the phrase. Not a big deal.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

Isn't "cotton picking mind" pretty much a common phrase/replacement for "mother f***ing mind?" TBH in this day an age he probably was better off just dropping the f bomb. Would have been less backlash.

 

[BostonBob]

OKC not bringing back Brian Davis.


from usatoday.com:

The Oklahoma City Thunder will not renew the contract of the only television play-by-play announcer the team has had since it relocated in 2008.

The team said Friday the contract of Brian Davis, play-by-play announcer since the team relocated from Seattle, will not be renewed for the 2018-19 season.

A team statement does not give a reason for the decision.

Davis was suspended for Game 1 of the Thunder's first-round Western Conference playoff series against the Utah Jazz for a broadcast comment he made during the team's regular-season finale against Memphis. In that game, Davis described Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook as "out of his cotton-picking mind" after an assist.

Thunder vice president of broadcasting and communications Dan Mahoney said at the time Davis' phrase was "highly inappropriate and offensive."

 

[BKIslandersFan]

There must have been issues with this guy. That comment alone couldn’t justify his firing. People say it all the time.

 

[Cassano]

Maybe it's a States thing. Literally never heard that phrase used in that connotation in my life.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Maybe it's a States thing. Literally never heard that phrase used in that connotation in my life.

Of course it's a States thing. Cotton fields and slaves should be a common knowledge even for Canadians. Like Chinese immigrants and railroads.