While ESPN was putting on a master class of how to cover difficult news, another member of the sports journalism industry was showing exactly what not to do in a moment of life and death.
After Damar Hamlin’s scary collapse on the field of Bills-Bengals on Monday night, FOX Sports personality Skip Bayless had the audacity to tweet about the “magnitude” of the game and the difficulty of postponing it. After a player went into cardiac arrest and required CPR on the field, that’s what was most important to him.
Talking out of both sides of his mouth, Bayless made sure to say the game seemed “irrelevant” in the same post. But that was only after he mentioned how “crucial” it was to a regular season that suddenly didn’t matter at all to the most humane of us.
No doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game – but how? This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the regular-season outcome … which suddenly seems so irrelevant.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) January 3, 2023
The last thing on any decent person’s mind after what we witnessed with Hamlin and his distraught teammates was when the game would be played. There was no shortage of people wondering why it even took as long as it did for the announcement of a postponement. What else needed to be discussed other than Hamlin’s well-being?
But for Bayless, a living caricature of his take-spewing television self, the sport of it all still took precedent.
After deserved backlash, Bayless tweeted a follow up that nothing is more important than Hamlin’s health. However, it was too late to retract the latest example of his disregard for the humanity of the athletes he regularly spews garbage about. Time and time again, he shows how little he cares about the person inside the jersey. How someone with such a reprehensible perspective continues to have a platform is beyond me.
Thankfully, Twitter didn’t let him off the hook.
Absolutely Disgraceful and Classless @RealSkipBayless And You Wonder Why Zero Athletes Have Any Respect For You. Damar Hamlin’s Life 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 Is More Important Than Your Entertainment, Your “show” and A Game. https://t.co/fuLM5jSX11
— David Diehl (@davediehl66) January 3, 2023
This is awful. Really incorrigible.
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) January 3, 2023
I hope they fire you bro!!! For you to even THINK of the game is very sad.
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) January 3, 2023
#DamarHamlin When life is a game, what could be a higher priority than finishing it? Why couldn't the NFL just order the players and coaches back to work? The hard core view of @FoxSports broadcaster Skip Bayless. If you pray – please say one for Skip. https://t.co/I24fkJTFFa
— Charles Adler (@charlesadler) January 3, 2023
You should be fired and ostracized for the rest of your life for this tweet
— Razzball (@Razzball) January 3, 2023
— J. Michael (@ThisIsJMichael) January 3, 2023
all u care about is football when damar hamlin’s life is at risk. coming from u i expected more. this tweet is not. u of all people should know better bro.
— Darrelle Revis (@Revis24) January 3, 2023
This is the most inconsiderate thing you could have said. We are human beings not just numbers. You’ve obviously never stepped foot in a locker room or been apart of a family like this. We are a band of brothers! Get over yourself man… Praying hard for Damar and his family!
— Logan Cooke (@LoganCooke2) January 3, 2023
Counterpoint: he's a human being. Who's been injured. So… maybe rethink this? https://t.co/0DNfTK8E0t
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) January 3, 2023
Bad tweet. But I believe important for the normal fan to understand how things really go in this business… Like this was the true thought process. Shine light on the truth, the teams were really lined up and told to start play again… Thats what we go through… https://t.co/aiLwoM5os7
— Craig Johnson. St. Ignatius , MT (@foyelicious) January 3, 2023
you’re so gross
— Ashley Nicole Moss (@AshNicoleMoss) January 3, 2023
Don’t show up tomorrow, @ShannonSharpe. Make him sit there and yell at the wall, after he gives what will undoubtedly be a wack ass half apology. https://t.co/NoJoKiPXXW
— April (@ReignOfApril) January 3, 2023
