It Starts at the Top: How Sport Journalist and the NHL handles Abuse
Journalism makes a huge foundation of how news of all kinds reaches the public. Recaps of championship wins and heartwarming tales of rags to riches it the bread and butter of sports reporting. But the fundamental rule of journalism is getting the true story out in an ethical and non-bias manner. Being able to write truthful and honest stories is what separates great journalist from good ones.
In May of 2021, the story broke that an ex-player (referred to as John Doe) of the Chicago Blackhawks filed a lawsuit against the club claiming that former video coach, Brad Aldrich, sexually assaulted him and another player during the Hawks’ 2010 Stanley Cup Run. The victim also alleges that multiple players and members of the front office knew about said incidents and kept it under wraps. There is now an “independent review” happening of the allegations as told b team CEO.
There are obviously many things wrong with the incident at hand, the first of course being the fact that anyone had to go through such trauma. But along with that the prevent problem of how sports journalism does not create room to talk about tough situations like this. The inability to hold organizations and people accountable comes top down from how the league handles serious situations like abuse. How can we expect journalist to create and write accurate narratives when the league they write about refuses to acknowledge wrong doings? There has been a lack of reporting on the lawsuit specifically from top journalist and analyst. The same journalist and analysist who we see every Saturday on our televisions.
Often when these stories are reported they are often broken or talked about by the same people. There is no rush to get information or interviews because it is much easier to stay comfortable and not speak on uncomfortable situations. Journalist like ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, and TSN’s Rick Westhead are often at the forefront of getting the story out. And if it isn’t a lack of reporting than it is publications putting important interviews like the one The Athletics’ Mark Lazerus did with Blackhawks’ captain Jonathan Toews.
Journalist, analysts, and any one in between may shy away from talking about difficult stories because the league themselves have a history of covering up and or just not discussing the “bad” parts of wanting to play professional hockey. Sexual, physical, and emotional abuse is unfortunately a problem that plagues hockey from the grassroots up. Stories of abuse get warped into stories “light hazing” and “team inanition”. The language being used by people working for the NHL is important and colors how people see the event at hand.
NHL Commissioner Garry Bettman gave his annual before Stanley Cup Finals press conference where he was met with several questions about the investigation. Questions ranging from how and when did the league know about the lawsuit to will the Blackhawks be reprimanded by the league. Bettman gave typical ex lawyer turned commissioner answers that did nothing to help give clarification of the matter from the leagues point of view.
“I think everyone is jumping too far, too fast. This is going to be handled appropriately and professionally, and done right,” said Bettman.
That would be reassuring if the culture of shut up and play did not plague the league as it does. In instances like this, all anyone can hope if that justice is served in the correct way, and that punishment (if need be) is given harshly and appropriately.
It does get old when every month, sport journalist goes through “reckonings” and pledge to speak up and speak out against unfair treatment just to go back to focusing on trades and contracts even though there are more important stories to report. Uplifting players speaking out, uplifting journalist that are willing to do the hard work and creating an open and healthy environment is the only way to not have allegations like this happening.
Blackhawks, Redskins, and Braves: A History of Ignoring Native Voices
Mascots are an important part of sports at all levels. A mascot is used to represent the team, players, and its fans. Are the players dangerous like an apex predator or rich with history like a landmark or historical name. Mascots should be fun but sometimes can take a turn for the insensitive. Teams like the Blackhawks, Redskins, and Braves have overstepped their boundaries and ignore native American voices by pushing caricatures of cultures as their “mascots”. The Redskins have arguably caught the most heat out of this bunch because the name is so blatantly offensive coupled with the red “Indian” face that goes along with it.
People paint their faces red, and wear feathers in their head and continue this almost movie like perception of Native Americans. Native American voices are often pushed to the side and if sports were as inclusive as they say they are, they would listen to these voices and act accordingly. This has led to the Washington Football team changing their name and logo.
Why Is Winning More Important Than the Safety of Women?
Tuscaloosa, AL — “Being a woman into sports or wanting to work in sports means compartmentalizing all the bad things that come with it. That unfortunately incudes how a sport treats violence against women,” sports fan Gabby Taylor fiddles with her shirt while explaining how hard it is sometimes to enjoy sports.
Winning is the goal in sports. The epic highs of superstars, and lows of seemingly cursed team are cherries on top of the watching experience. But at the end of the day the only the thing fans, players, general managers, owners, and league commissioners want is wins, and that is sometimes to a fault. Unfortunately, the history of sexual assault, rape, and or domestic violence towards women being covered up or brushed off so a player can continue to play with little to consequences is astounding. Being a woman that not only likes watching sports, but also wants to work in sports means having to take the good with the bad.
Hockey is the sport I am most familiar with and the National Hockey League had their fair share of mishandling of situations like this. Situations as recent as December of 2020; news broke via TSN reporter Rick Westhead that the Pittsburg Penguins were being accused of encouraging a former assistant coach of their minor hockey club to keep silent about the sexual assault of his wife. This incident involved Jarrod Skalde and his wife, Erin, alleging that Clark Donatelli sexually assaulted Erin; after finding about said incident, Skalde recounts the organization told him to keep quiet. Here comes one of the fundamental problems in sports, if you don’t speak of the problem, it does not exist. Pens fan and casual hockey writer Mary Lanes feel as if this is reflection on the organization.
“The Penguins organization has a history of this behavior and it is indictive of male dominated sports,” explained Lanes.
Organizations feel like they can handle things this way because the leagues they are situated have no real punishments for sexual and or physical violence. For example, everyone by now knows about the infamous Ray Rice video and the rule changes that came after it. After hotel elevator footage of Rice hitting his then fiancé, Janay, was leaked in 2014, the National Football League faced backlash for the lenient punishment handed out. Rice had received a shorter suspension (2 games) than other player had for violations like drug use. The video that came out, via TMZ, later prompted the Baltimore Ravens to drop Rice, and the league created a database and new rules. Just when you think the NFL is changing their league for the better, you have situations like Elekiel Elliot domestic abuse against his then girlfriend or Kareem Hunt caught kicking a woman that prove otherwise. The league becomes complicit when they dish out mediocre punishment and allow these players back.
Not to mention that this sexual or physical assault can be inflicted on female journalist, and the person inflicting the abuse is not just limited to players. MLB had to update their harassment policies after allegations against Angel’s pitching coach Mickey Callaway came out. This coming weeks after Jared Porter, who was the General Manager of the New York Mets was fired for sexually harassing a foreign, female journalist.
“Women working in sports are extremely vulnerable. Most of the time we are not in power positions, and it comes down to two options: rock the boat and risk not being believed or take the harassment,” Long time Braves fan and baseball blogger Christina Cao explains.
As we move into another year, and more cases of women being targeted and or not believed, I can not help but wonder what it will take for people to listen and change. Why is getting a home run, scoring a goal, making a good throw, or having a lot of money excuses for violence against women?
Unfinished Business 