NBC Sports commentator Mike Milbury will not be on commentary box for this Friday’s game between Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadians after his chauvinist comment about women a day before.
Mike Milbury commented that women are a distraction to the male hockey players; this happened when a match was going on between New York Islanders and Washington capitals when he and the other NBC crew were discussing the downside of Hockey players to work in a bubble environment.
“It’s a great environment with regard to, if you consider spending time and playing with your teammates for a long period of time, it’s no doubt an excellent place” Boucher said.
Milbury further added to this;
“Not even any women to distract your concentration.”
Such comments are so disrespectful for all the women who work hard and make NHL leagues happen. Critics said it’s been 2020 but still such comments about women are making rounds.
NBC REMOVED MILBURY FROM THE FRIDAY’S BROADCAST
The NHL (National Hockey League) condemned his statement and entitled it as insensitive and insulting that he made during the Thursday broadcast, further saying that it in no way reflects the league’s value and commitment to making the game welcoming and suitable for everyone.
According to the NHL’s official stance;
“The National Hockey League condemns such insensitive and insulting comment that Mike Milbury made during last night’s broadcast and we have conveyed our feelings to NBC. This comment did not reflect the NHL’s values and commitment to making our game more inclusive and welcoming to all.”
NBC Sports said that the comments were disappointing and we have addressed it with Milbury.
Earlier NBC Sports also suspended former NHL forward and commentator Jeremy Roenick for making disrespectful comments about the co-workers. Former NHL coach Don Cherry was fired by Rogers Sportsnet when he made an anti-immigrant statement.
MIKE MILBURY APOLOGIZED FOR HIS INSENSITIVE COMMENT
Mike Milbury has apologized through a statement released via NBC Sports and said;
“It was never my intention to disrespect anyone. I was trying to be contemptuous and went a step too far. It was indeed a regrettable mistake that I took seriously.”
However, it is not evident from his apology that he recognizes why his words are not okay. In the turn of events, NBC also dismissed him from Friday’s broadcast.
Mike Milbury has been associated with NBC as an analyst and commentator since 2008.
MILBURY HAS A HISTORY OF HAVING AN INCONSIDERATE OPINION
This is not the first time such insensitive comments about women came into light. In 2012, he said that Penguins coach Dan Bylsma should have taken off his shirt and gone over there during an ongoing game.
In 2011, He mentioned Canucks players Daniel and Henrik Sedin and referred to them as “Thelma and Louise.”
To which, Daniel Sedin replied; “He made a gross statement about us, referred to us as women. I don’t know what his perspective is about women, I would be quite mad if I was a woman.”
Earlier during the playoffs, he was criticizing Boston Bruins goalie Tuuka Rask, who decided to leave Toronto Bubble to spend more time with his family.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH MILBURY’S COMMENT?
The issue is not that Milbury’s comments are wrong according to the facts. If we look into the insight of Research about this; we find that Men are more likely to get distracted when women are around them.
They are not able to focus and complete tasks if they are surrounded by or observed by women. On the other hand, Women managed to complete the task efficiently regardless of whether they were observed by men or women; they don’t pay head to that.
Another study showed that tennis players who were married performed less efficiently than the previous year, but the unmarried players were able to ace the game as before.
The primary problem with Milbury’s comment is that his comment is so insensitive and limits the women’s role to only distraction. His statement is also objectifying and judging women on the basis of their appearance and beauty and emphasized that Hockey players cannot think straight when they are surrounded by women.
When women are objectified, it restricts women to be merely perceived as less human and incompetent. It’s disappointing that even in this century, this conversation is still in motion.
His statement also made women go into some inferiority complex and become insecure about their appearance. Objectification destroys the personality of the woman who is working hard to pave her way in society and consistently let down by such opinion.
His remarks drew heavy criticism, due to which he will not be part of NBC’s Friday analyst and commentary team.
