Tag: Maria Taylor

Maria Taylor defends herself after Doug Gottlieb questioned why she gets an All-NBA vote

Maria Taylor stands up for herself after being called out by Doug Gottlieb.

The NBA released the media voting results for its end-of-season awards to the public on Friday, which meant that several reporters across the country had angry fans in their mentions asking them to clarify their ballot. One of these reporters was ESPN’s Maria Taylor, who left Lakers center Anthony Davis off her ballot entirely.

Davis received 99 out of 100 total media votes to make an All-NBA team, including 79 first-team selections, and 20 second-team selections. The only member of the media to not cast a vote for Davis was Taylor, and once fans on Twitter noticed and started calling her out, she explained that it was a “CLEAR mistake.”

Fox Sports’ Doug Gottlieb chimed in on the controversy, and openly asked why Taylor deserves to vote on the NBA’s All-NBA teams, arguing that she isn’t qualified for the privilege.

Many fans and fellow media members defended Taylor, and she spelled out exactly why she gets a vote in a direct response to Gottlieb.

Gottlieb didn’t stand down, though, and dug in on his take.

The exchange comes just a few days after had to defend herself after a radio host made sexist remarks about the outfit she wore during a Monday Night Football broadcast. The host, Dan McNeil, was later fired.

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ESPN’s Maria Taylor responds to radio host who criticized her ‘MNF’ outfit

Taylor made her debut reporting on the NFL on Monday.

Maria Taylor has done it all for ESPN — she’s covered college and pro sports on the sideline and as a host, providing terrific commentary and doing interviews, including a memorably cringe-worthy one with John Calipari that she handled really well.

On Monday night, she joined the first game of the Monday Night Football doubleheader broadcast as the sideline reporter for the Giants and Steelers game, her first time covering an NFL game.

As Awful Announcing reported, Dan McNeil, a host with 670 The Score in Chicago, tweeted and deleted a criticism of Taylor’s outfit that she wore during the game, asking if she was “a host” for a adult entertainment awards show due to her outfit, a completely sexist and misogynistic comment.

Taylor came right back and called him out, while also sending a message: “Please bring your misogyny with you to the NBA Countdown double header I’ll be hosting tomorrow night. Hey ladies remember you can wear whatever you feel confident in!”

Taylor got so much support from Twitter for her NFL debut:

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Chase Young says he is ‘definitely’ the best player in the 2020 NFL Draft

Though he may not be picked first off the board, Young knows that he is the most talented player in the 2020 NFL Draft.

When looking back on the NFL Draft a couple of years removed from the event, it’s not always easy to determine who was the best player in that years’ class. Many teams draft for need over talent, selecting a quarterback before he’s slated to go, or passing up on a linebacker because they need a left tackle.

For instance, look at the 2018 draft — QB Baker Mayfield was selected first, but there are a number of players who were picked behind him who are definitely better, including Saquon Barkley, Quenton Nelson, and Bradley Chubb. So when we look back on the upcoming 2020 draft in a few years’ time, will we think that Joe Burrow — who is expected to go No. 1 to the Cincinnati Bengals — is better than Chase Young?

Well, Young doesn’t think so. When asked by ESPN’s Maria Taylor if he thought he was the best, his answer was definitive.

“Yes, definitely,” Young told Taylor during an Instagram Live session last week. “I know I’m the best, definitely.”

This is not a new proclamation from Young, who is extremely confident in his abilities on the field. At the 2020 NFL Combine, when asked a similar question, Young responded with a similar answer:

“I definitely think I’m the best player in the draft,” Young said, via Bleacher Report. “I think I showed it on my tape. Every game, I think I showed it. I definitely think I put my best foot forward this year. I grinded hard. Two of my biggest things are hard work and dedication, and I’m going to bring those two to the NFL with me.”

Many of the top minds in the NFL think that Young is the best prospect in the draft as well, so it’s no surprise that Young agrees. For Washington Redskins fans, it’s time to be thankful that the Bengals have a need for Burrow at No. 1, and Young will likely fall into their laps at No. 2.

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