On Wednesday, NBC’s Today show used the exclusive announcement of the new name for the Washington Football Team – formerly the Redskins – on its air to wail about the team’s previous “racist” name and declare that the NFL has “a race problem.” It’s fitting that the announcement took place on NBC given how the ultra-woke network spent years attacking the sports franchise and demanding the name Redskins be banned.
“They’ve been grinding it out on the gridiron for more than 80 years. The Washington Football Team winning three super bowl championships while building one of the NFL’s most dedicated fan bases,” Melvin proclaimed during a taped report leading up to the live announcement at FedEx Field. However, that positivity was immediately replace with vitriol:
For nearly all of that time, the team went by the Redskins. That name and the imagery on the team’s uniforms drawing criticism and protests for years among indigenous rights groups. Despite owner Daniel Snyder saying he’d never change the name, pressure from fans, lawmakers, and sponsors led the team to announce a change in July 2020.
Footage ran of leftist protesters demanding a name change and a sounbite ran of far-left activist and Illuminatives executive director Crystal Echo Hawk ranting: “What it really shows is that there’s no longer any excuse for any team across professional sports, collegiate or K-12 to hold on to these Native American mascots and team names.”
As she spoke, images appeared on screen of the left’s likely next targets – the Kansas City Chiefs and the Atlanta Braves.
No mention was made of multiple Washington Post polls repeatedly finding the vast majority of Native Americans not being offended by the Redskins name.
Minutes later, after the new name, Washington Commanders, was debuted, Melvin turned to Washington Football Team president Jason Wright and pressed:
You are the only black president in the NFL right now. Let’s talk about that news out of Miami this morning. Former coach there, Coach Flores, now suing three teams, suing the league itself. Claiming discrimination, claiming racism. We are in the stadium, part of this rebrand, because of the logo and the name, widely viewed as racist. Does the NFL still have a race problem?
Wright replied in part: “I know that when ownership is fully committed to diversity. When they’re really all in, change can happen very rapidly.”
NBC cheering on the Washington name change during Wednesday’s widely-panned announcement makes perfect sense when one looks at how much the liberal network crusaded for it over the years:
> MSNBC Devotes 16 Minutes of Coverage to 'Indefensible, ' 'Racist' Redskins 'Slur'
> NBC Hails Redskins Trademark Being Revoked As 'A Victory for Native Americans'
> NBC Pushes Redskins Name Change: ‘More Difficult...To Hang On To Their Name’
So the leftist media manufactured a controversy, demanded a name change, and then NBC spiked the ball with Wednesday’s announcement in a bid for ratings. This is what happens when wokism runs newsrooms.
The lame display on the Today show was brought to viewers by McDonald’s and Citi. You can fight back by letting these advertisers know what you think of them sponsoring such content.
Here is a transcript of excerpts of the February 2 coverage:
8:13 AM ET
(...)
CRAIG MELVIN: They’ve been grinding it out on the gridiron for more than 80 years. The Washington Football Team winning three super bowl championships while building one of the NFL’s most dedicated fan bases. For nearly all of that time, the team went by the Redskins. That name and the imagery on the team’s uniforms drawing criticism and protests for years among indigenous rights groups.
PROTESTERS: No justice, no peace!
MELVIN: Despite owner Daniel Snyder saying he’d never change the name, pressure from fans, lawmakers, and sponsors led the team to announce a change in July 2020.
CRYSTAL ECHO HAWK [ILLUMINATIVES FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR]: What it really shows is that there’s no longer any excuse for any team across professional sports, collegiate or K-12 to hold on to these Native American mascots and team names.
MELVIN: The team kept its signature burgundy and gold and played by the simple name Washington Football Team for two seasons while it worked to settle on a new name.
The change coming at a time when the organization has faced recent allegations of sexual harassment in the workplace from 2006 to 2019, with Congress set to interview former team employees tomorrow. The team has no comment on any investigation.
The Washington Football Team is now hoping to turn the corner with its new name and new look.
(...)
8:18 AM ET
MELVIN: Jason, while I have here you, I want to talk about a couple other things. I mean, you were brought in 2020, at arguably the most tumultuous time in this organization’s history. Amid, you know, sexual allegations of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment allegations. Some former employees are going to be questioned tomorrow. This was widely regarded as a toxic workplace. What have you done since you’ve been here to fix that?
JASON WRIGHT [WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM PRESIDENT]: I think the rebrand has been an interesting period because it’s coincided with a time of very rapid, very real and irreversible change in the organization. And it’s from that position of strength now that this diverse and empowered leadership team is united to bring a championship back to the burgundy and gold under the banner of the Washington Commanders.
MELVIN: You mentioned the diversity. You are the only black president in the NFL right now. Let’s talk about that news out of Miami this morning. Former coach there, Coach Flores, now suing three teams, suing the league itself. Claiming discrimination, claiming racism. We are in the stadium, part of this rebrand, because of the logo and the name, widely viewed as racist. Does the NFL still have a race problem?
WRIGHT: You know, I don’t like to speak on other people’s business as a principle. And Tom Garfinkel, the CEO of the Dolphins, is a close ally and confidant to me. But I know that when ownership is fully committed to diversity. When they’re really all in, change can happen very rapidly. Now the owners of this team hired a Latino head coach, a black general manager, and then a black team president, who in turn then built the most diverse executive leadership team in the NFL. So change can happen quickly. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
(...)
