Tag: Rachel Nichols

‘Undisputed’ is impressed by optimism surrounding Commanders

Noted Cowboys’ fan, Skip Bayless is “scared” of the Commanders?

Not only are the Commanders causing optimism in the DMV, but Wednesday, the cast of Undisputed, also expressed optimism for the Commanders this season.

Here is some of how they wrapped up their segment discussing Daniel Jones and the New York Giants.

Skip Bayless: “The Commanders scare me.”

Rachel Nichols: “They’re very good; hey, I’m telling you, Skip.”

Bayless: “They got our defensive coordinator as their head coach, and they got about half of our free agents.”

Keyshawn Johnson: “And Micah Parsons might want to go over there too if they don’t pay him.”

Nichols: “I saw Josh Harris yesterday at Summer League because he’s got both teams now, the Sixers and the Commanders. And he is so pumped. And I think that franchise again (Redskins), I’m saying the old name because that is the team that got me into sports. I loved that team growing up, and they have been a very, very hard team to be a fan of for a very, very long time. The ownership, all the way down, the decisions on the field, everything. I cannot tell you the optimism in my hometown for this team and what is ahead. It is off the charts, and you don’t see that with the Giants in New York.”

Johnson: “If the other owner (Snyder) was the owner right now with the same makeup of the team, I wouldn’t be scared, Skip, if I was you. But like Rachel is saying, you got Josh and you got Magic and all of those guys and a real coach (Dan Quinn). They are doing things the right way.”

Bayless: “I just feel the momentum, and there’s no better football town in America when they’re rolling.”

Johnson to Nichols: “Did they change the lyrics to the song?

Nichols: “Yes, they did. When I was a kid and very rarely got to go to a game, and the stands would shake in that old RFK Stadium?”

Bayless: “I’ve been there many times, and the press box would shake.”

Nichols: “The way this city embraces a team when it’s good, it’s fantastic. I think it is going to be a huge year for them. I think the Giants with Daniel Jones? Not much.”

Johnson: “When I got there, it was a dump.”

Nichols: “Of course, it was a dump. That is why it literally moved when the team scored. The entire stadium moved!”

 

 

ESPN decides to take Rachel Nichols off the air and cancel ‘The Jump’ after leaked remarks

Her time at ESPN is essentially over.

ESPN’s NBA coverage was marred by controversy this past postseason when The New York Times published a piece detailing longtime reporter Rachel Nichols’ recorded remarks about then-colleague Maria Taylor.

The fallout from that story led to Malika Andrews replacing Nichols as the reporter at the NBA Finals. Taylor would sign a contract with NBC Sports. And now, Nichols’ time at ESPN is essentially done.

According to a report from Sports Business Journal, ESPN is pulling Nichols off the air and canceling her daytime NBA show, The Jump. While Nichols still has at least a year remaining on her contract, the network will let that contract expire without featuring Nichols on any future programming.

ESPN Senior VP/Production David Roberts told SBJ of those plans:

“We mutually agreed that this approach regarding our NBA coverage was best for all concerned. Rachel is an excellent reporter, host and journalist, and we thank her for her many contributions to our NBA content.”

In Nichols’ comments, which were recorded during the 2020 Orlando bubble, she said of Taylor:

“I wish Maria Taylor all the success in the world — she covers football, she covers basketball. If you need to give her more things to do because you are feeling pressure about your crappy longtime record on diversity — which, by the way, I know personally from the female side of it — like, go for it. Just find it somewhere else. You are not going to find it from me or taking my thing away.”

Outrage over those comments had brewed internally at ESPN and ultimately led to this final decision on Wednesday.

ESPN launched The Jump in 2016, which featured panel discussions comprised of current and former NBA players (and also saw Paul Pierce’s high-profile firing from the show). Nichols was in her second stint with ESPN, rejoining the network in 2016 from Turner after previously working with ESPN from 2004 to 2013.

Notre Dame football could be in cards if Maria Taylor heads to NBC

Could NBC’s Irish coverage look a little different in 2021?

Maria Taylor recently found herself in the middle of a controversy involving ESPN colleague Rachel Nichols. Consequently, she took over for Nichols as host of “NBA Countdown” for this year’s NBA Finals coverage. However, Taylor’s days with the four-letter network appear to be numbered. A report from Front Office Sports indicates that Taylor is extremely close to a deal with NBC.

The reported deal, which the source says is “at the half-yard line”, would offer Taylor a variety of opportunities. One possibility is said to be NBC’s Notre Dame football coverage. It doesn’t specify what role she would have as that obviously can’t be determined as of yet, but it does open up the discussion of who on the current broadcast team she could replace.

Kathryn Tappen has been the sideline reporter since she joined NBC in 2014. Jac Collinsworth only has one season as the pregame/halftime host under his belt. It will be worth keeping an eye on what NBC does as the 2021 season gets closer to kickoff.

A timeline of the fallout over Rachel Nichols’ leaked comments about Maria Taylor

A look at the events from the past week.

ESPN has been at the center of controversy over the past three days regarding Rachel Nichols’ leaked comments about colleague Maria Taylor that were made public by a New York Times article that published on Sunday.

The drama led up to Tuesday’s news when ESPN announced that Malika Andrews will take over for Nichols as sideline reporter for 2021 NBA finals between the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns, and that Nichols would continue as host of The Jump.

In case you missed everything that happened over the holiday weekend before this decision was made, here’s a recap with a timeline of the events:

Thanks to special software, iPad …

“I am in such debt to the people who …

“I am in such debt to the people who worked so incredibly hard on the technical side to make what I believe is still magic — there might be some elves involved, it is Disney after all,” ‘The Jump” host Rachel Nichols told Insider. “I can’t believe that they were able to figure out a way to produce an entire television show with everybody at home, not a single person in our television facility.”