Boston Globe Mike Milbury finally has his say on being fired by NBC

[Baddkarma]

ESPN and their non stop commitment to social causes will cripple that last vestiges of a great game that is hockey. I have no real expectations that ESPN will grow the game, at all.

 

[Fenway]

Officially he was never fired as NBC KNEW they would lose a lawsuit over this.

At the moment it happened NOBODY in the NBC truck said anything but then the Canes beat reporter for The Athletic tweeted her disgust and it snowballed. BUT she was livid she was not allowed into the bubble so she was seething at the time.

Did Gord Miller ( working for NBC in the Toronto bubble) get in trouble for this?



Mike was simply speaking the truth about bubble life.

I fully expect to see Milbury back on NESN this upcoming season.

 

[Alicat]

Officially he was never fired as NBC KNEW they would lose a lawsuit over this.

At the moment it happened NOBODY in the NBC truck said anything but then the Canes beat reporter for The Athletic tweeted her disgust and it snowballed. BUT she was livid she was not allowed into the bubble so she was seething at the time.

Did Gord Miller ( working for NBC in the Toronto bubble) get in trouble for this?



Mike was simply speaking the truth about bubble life.

I fully expect to see Milbury back on NESN this upcoming season.

That reporter cries about every little thing someone says about women and then other female reporters jump in and agree with her. As a woman it is beyond obnoxious. Not everything is sexist and degrading towards women. She is awful but no one dares say anything to her about it.

In the moment he said it I was a bit stunned but looking back on it what he said wasn’t bad it just came out a little bungled.

NBC was reeling from JR plus Mike has said some things in the past that were a bit cringey so I’m sure NBC used that against him.

I am glad he finally spoke out to clear everything up. He can be obnoxious at times (Nick Ritchie is fat comments) but overall, he’s a solid analyst.

Hope to see him on the air again. Hockey without Milbury isn’t the same.

 

[Alicat]

Classic political correctness gone wild. Same thing happened to Curt Shilling, a great pitcher with a world of lifetime baseball experiences. He was replaced with someone with no professional baseball experiences who dwelt on personalities and other non baseball issues. NBC is gone from hockey telecasts. I hope, but doubt that ESPN will focus on what fans want to hear, hockey, hockey, hockey.

The situations are not even the same.

You can’t say racist shit online and on air over and over and especially after your employer tells you to knock it off.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Absolutely. They wanted an excuse... what he said wasn't terrible even in this age.

This is just it.

Even by today’s standards, the “backlash” felt super contrived.

 

[CDJ]

Doesn’t curt schilling collect nazi memorabilia (he’s just a history buff!) and didn’t he basically bankrupt a state? Yeah that’s totally the same as Milbury saying an absolute nothing burger of a statement

 

[Alicat]

Doesn’t curt schilling collect nazi memorabilia and didn’t he basically bankrupt a state? Yeah that’s totally the same as Milbury saying an absolute nothing burger of a statement

Yes and yes.

They don’t belong in the same sentence.

 

[CDJ]

That reporter cries about every little thing someone says about women and then other female reporters jump in and agree with her. As a woman it is beyond obnoxious. Not everything is sexist and degrading towards women. She is awful but no one dares say anything to her about it.

In the moment he said it I was a bit stunned but looking back on it what he said wasn’t bad it just came out a little bungled.

NBC was reeling from JR plus Mike has said some things in the past that were a bit cringey so I’m sure NBC used that against him.

I am glad he finally spoke out to clear everything up. He can be obnoxious at times (Nick Ritchie is fat comments) but overall, he’s a solid analyst.

Hope to see him on the air again. Hockey without Milbury isn’t the same.

spot on IMO

 

[Jim]

Here's hoping that ESPN hires him. If their coverage of the expansion draft is any indication, their broadcasts are going to be a snore-fest.
If they want to make a splash, add some color, some eyebrow raising commentary they could do a lot worse than MM.

Bring back JR too.

 

[Saxon Eric]

Bring back Cherry you cowards!

 

[ODAAT]

I don`t think what Milbury said was egregious however, the guy is a toolbox and I lose no sleep never having to watch/listen to him

On my radar for future broadcasts is PK Subban, something tells me the guy will be gold on some network

 

[bwunderlich]

FWIW, I was indifferent to the comment, but that's just like my opinion. I may not agree with other's feelings on the matter, but that does not give me some curmudgendly higher ground to stand on, waxing for days gone by when I could touch someone anywhere, do, or say anything with zero consequences. I cringe sometimes when MM speaks and miss Don Cherry's perspective a lot, but both bring a rich history and perspective to hockey that just can not be taught. They are missed.

I was also taught in the early 70's by Papa that there are times to put your fedora in your hands and try to make it right if I've wronged someone. That is not weakness, but rather character and integrity.

I like thoughtful debate and unpacking things. Not tweets or 1-min reads from tabloids to tell me what something is or isn't and how I should feel. It's a long read and probably too much for the mouth-breathers who throw out CC as something just invented by a segment of the population.

The Long and Tortured History of Cancel Culture

 

[ODAAT]

FWIW, I was indifferent to the comment, but that's just like my opinion. I may not agree with other's feelings on the matter, but that does not give me some curmudgendly higher ground to stand on, waxing for days gone by when I could touch someone anywhere, do, or say anything with zero consequences. I cringe sometimes when MM speaks and miss Don Cherry's perspective a lot, but both bring a rich history and perspective to hockey that just can not be taught. They are missed.

I was also taught in the early 70's by Papa that there are times to put your fedora in your hands and try to make it right if I've wronged someone. That is not weakness, but rather character and integrity.

I like thoughtful debate and unpacking things. Not tweets or 1-min reads from tabloids to tell me what something is or isn't and how I should feel. It's a long read and probably too much for the mouth-breathers who throw out CC as something just invented by a segment of the population.

The Long and Tortured History of Cancel Culture

likely the best post in the thread

I try my best to apologize for my part in a situation, doesn`t mean at it`s core I always think I`m totally wrong but it might mean that the way I presented it was lacking respect for others opinions etc...

 

[LSCII]

I can’t stand Milbury’s arrogance and overall attitude that I feel he conveys in the booth. Just has a know it all, I’m smarter than you type vibe.

However, even if it was “off color”, the reaction to what he said was clearly and obviously an overreaction IMO. Even if you really don’t like what he said...can you really feel good about threatening a person’s career? For just saying something like that? For Christ sake, he’s not a criminal.

Mike has a big mouth. And says things that I don’t think a professional should say. But if he was “okay” by broadcasting standards up until now, that’s a pretty weak straw to break the camel’s back. He made a mistake, but not nearly one he should be taken to the gulag for.

They didn't fire him for his comments, that was just the excuse they used. They probably wanted to fire him before but he hadn't given them a chance to. This time he did, so they took it. If they wanted him to still be there, he would be. They didn't so he got fired.

 

[GabeTravels]

Some people (not in this thread to be fair) have compared JR and Mike's comments, to me they aren't on the same planet.

I have zero issues with JR getting shown the door by NBC...but I don't think Mike deserved the heat he got.

I didn't think Milbury was a great analyst, and I think NBC was looking for a reason to pull him off the air.

I get why he's upset...but I also think he's overreacting slightly. He didn't get fired, he was still getting a paycheck. Would he prefer to be working? I'm sure, but he got his paycheck.

 

[Bearcrap]

Bring back Cherry you cowards!

Bring back Howie Meeker you losers!

 

[Over the volcano]

The guy was hired to talk, made a mistake in something he said and wasn’t fired for it, just taken off air - not much of a story until the “Im a victim of the culture war” bullshit.

The waiting til I collect the last check of my contract before complaining about getting “fired” is a little too on the nose.

Some people (not in this thread to be fair) have compared JR and Mike's comments, to me they aren't on the same planet.

I have zero issues with JR getting shown the door by NBC...but I don't think Mike deserved the heat he got.

I didn't think Milbury was a great analyst, and I think NBC was looking for a reason to pull him off the air.

I get why he's upset...but I also think he's overreacting slightly. He didn't get fired, he was still getting a paycheck. Would he prefer to be working? I'm sure, but he got his paycheck.

Yup

 

[Saxon Eric]

Bring back Howie Meeker you losers!

I didn't have cable back then

 

[22Brad Park]

Bring back Howie Meeker you losers!

Now you see .This guy over here he knows he is getting the puck.Use to drive me nuts.How the hell does he know Howie, the other guy still has it.Remember Shootout" ?I think that is what they called it.

 

[EvilDead]

ESPN and their non stop commitment to social causes will cripple that last vestiges of a great game that is hockey. I have no real expectations that ESPN will grow the game, at all.

I wouldn't be surprised if hockey gets strangled under the might of ESPN.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

I wouldn't be surprised if hockey gets strangled under the might of ESPN.

It’s not going to receive any sort of priority.

People will miss NBCSN a year from now.

 

[aguineapig]

This is who I miss, a true hockey man and gentleman. And what could be better than that.

 

[CrownofThornton]

My favorite was when he described Kessel’s body type as “dumpy”.

He should not have been fired for his comments.

 

[Gonzothe7thDman]

Dumb comment but not enough on it's own to get him taken off air.

But this was just the last in a long string of dumb comments he's made.

It is what it is.

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

Bring back Florent Gibson!