Thom Brennaman

[FVBrewerFan]

Yea, there's no apology that could have worked and he was doing it on the fly. He could have apologized for being homophobic, something he'll work on, etc, rather than acting like saying a derogatory word is the problem. But it doesn't matter, he's done and should be done.

 

That said, I do think context matters. In this case, it was said in a hateful, derogatory manner. But I have heard gay used as an adjective by people I know for a fact are not homophobic. Just used in a sophomoric way. It shouldn't be said anyhow, just saying I don't agree with an automatic ban for anyone who ever says one thing.

[TigerUppercut]

So many of these apologies get it wrong when they use phrases like "that's not who I really am", "I'm sorry if you were offended", etc. Brennaman did both of those and he threw in the ever popular "I'm a man of faith", and talked about possible punishment, taking away his headset, his paycheck...

 

Whatever punishment he is due will come at the right time, and it will be decided by people who aren't him. What he should have done was talk about his own mistake, his own shortcomings, and express remorse and contrition for that. Leave the rest for others to deal with.

 

Here is how I think it could have gone better for him:

 

"Earlier tonight, I said something that was wrong in every way, and I apologize for that. I used hateful language toward a group of people who deserve better from me and from everyone, and in doing so, I brought embarrassment to this broadcast and everyone associated with it. I wish I hadn't have said what I did. There really is no context in which it's okay to use that language, or to harbor the hateful, ignorant thoughts behind it. I'm sorry that I let everybody down."

 

Don't defend yourself, don't explain yourself, don't blame others, or require that they pass a test to qualify that they are authorized to be offended. Don't ask for forgiveness or leniency. Save that for another day. If "this isn't the real you", let others make that case.

 

I think being the son of Marty Brennaman will serve him well in Cincinnati. But not today, and not for the rest of this season. I think he needs to go away for awhile and give people time to consider whether he is a good guy or not.

 

Ryan Braun stained his image badly. But since his suspension, he's done the right things and has made some significant repairs. I don't know if that works for a broadcaster, of whom there are many. Braun was under contract and had unique talent. Lots of guys can do baseball on tv.

 

Visit a Brewerfan gameday thread. 95% there think BA and Rock stink and will tell you this isn't true.

[PeaveyFury]

Lots of guys can do baseball on tv.

 

Visit a Brewerfan gameday thread. 95% there think BA and Rock stink and will tell you this isn't true.

 

People's personal feelings about the style of those doing the broadcasts doesn't make the point that they're easily replaceable any less valid...

[burnzy24]

Even if the mic wasn’t hot he should have been fired for saying that while on the job.

 

This is exactly right. This wasn't merely a slip of the tongue either. Based on how he used the term I'm willing to bet this wasn't the first time he has said something like this while on the job.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Even if the mic wasn’t hot he should have been fired for saying that while on the job.

 

This is exactly right. This wasn't merely a slip of the tongue either. Based on how he used the term I'm willing to bet this wasn't the first time he has said something like this while on the job.

 

This is a point worth exploring. There are questions to be asked about how casually he dropped that line. There have to be some people with some stories pre-dating this judging by the context in which it was said.

 

Let me preface this by saying I think it's justifiable that he never calls another game.

 

But, one thing that exhausts me are the literary critiques of apologies issued minutes after something happens. The guy was probably seeing red and had to stumble through something on the fly. I don't like when a guy apologizes for something, like Josh Hader did, and people start reading all these subconscious things into every little word. This JUST happened. He didn't sit down with a PR team and quadruple check every clause.

 

My gut feeling is that he calls something again in about a year. Not for the Reds and maybe not for Fox, but something. Also, the "someone said a naughty word" take is really missing the point. It would be a completely different thing, though still bad, if the hot mic caught him saying "get out of the shot, xxx". You could explain that away with some kind of inappropriate inside joke. The context really made it sound like that was the vernacular on the set.

[homer]

Before someone bemoans "cancel culture", I'm 47 years old and I'm pretty sure this sort of thing gets you the axe in any decade after the 70s.

[PeaveyFury]

But, one thing that exhausts me are the literary critiques of apologies issued minutes after something happens. The guy was probably seeing red and had to stumble through something on the fly. I don't like when a guy apologizes for something, like Josh Hader did, and people start reading all these subconscious things into every little word. This JUST happened. He didn't sit down with a PR team and quadruple check every clause.

 

I think this is a little off the mark. Perhaps there'd be more leeway if this was coming back from the ensuing commercial break or something, but he made the apology during the fifth inning of the SECOND game of the double-header, while the comment was made during the first game. He had a few hours to work through something.

 

If anything, people are MORE annoyed with how scrubbed his apology felt, rather than it being something that made it feel like he was actually sorry for something beyond the fact that he got caught.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

What was the time lag between it blowing up and when he got on air to apologize, though? Because, unfortunately, that apology wasn't on his mind until some PA told him he had to do it. In his mind nobody even heard it besides the guy he was talking to. I think it's doubtful he had hours to plan an apology. He's probably said 500 things like that over the years off air. In which case, adios.

[thebruce44]

I guess the issue I have is with the ‘I apologize to anyone I may have offended’ apologizing. Just say you apologize for saying something bigoted and wrong, don’t qualify it with ‘if I may have offended you....’

 

 

Why does it matter? Whatever he says is obviously nothing more than attempted damage control at that point.

 

An apology is fine when you have a slip of the tongue on the air or make a joke that you later realize is in bad taste, both of which happen. This is nothing like that, what was said was fully intended and he obviously believes it so I don't really know what the point of any apology is as it is meaningless.

 

Fair point. I think my thought is that you should at least make the apology sound sincere rather than a carefully worded spin attempt.

 

He could say something like "what I said was inappropriate and I need to make some changes to who I am as a person. I hope that people will give me a second chance some day."

[JimH5]

Brennaman is a 56-year-old professional broadcaster. His profession requires that he uses words and that he does so properly. He's not a retired athlete color commentary guy, and he's not new to the profession, just figuring things out.

He should be at the peak of his professional life, experienced enough to know how to do it right, and still young enough that he hasn't lost a step. He's not of another era. I'm 58 and it's never been acceptable to say what he said.

 

We have had enough bad apologies that people should know how to do it correctly. I don't give him any pass for not getting his apology right.

[stalton]

What was the time lag between it blowing up and when he got on air to apologize, though? Because, unfortunately, that apology wasn't on his mind until some PA told him he had to do it. In his mind nobody even heard it besides the guy he was talking to. I think it's doubtful he had hours to plan an apology. He's probably said 500 things like that over the years off air. In which case, adios.

 

If I got my timeline correct, the comment was made during the pregame to the 2nd game, and the apology was made in the 5th.

[Greenleaf1]

I just want to say thanks to all the people in here not diminishing what he said as if it doesn't matter. Baseball seems at times like a pretty conservative sport, so I can get a little discouraged when stuff like this happens.

 

His apology was woefully insufficient, using the word in a workplace setting is enough to get fired, and the way he used it was a strong indicator of the way he thinks about the LGBTQ+ community. Hate speech has no place on the air, I hope this is the last we hear from this hateful prick who would rather sincerely apologize to his bosses than to the marginalized group that he verbally attacked.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

What was the time lag between it blowing up and when he got on air to apologize, though? Because, unfortunately, that apology wasn't on his mind until some PA told him he had to do it. In his mind nobody even heard it besides the guy he was talking to. I think it's doubtful he had hours to plan an apology. He's probably said 500 things like that over the years off air. In which case, adios.

 

If I got my timeline correct, the comment was made during the pregame to the 2nd game, and the apology was made in the 5th.

 

Right, but when he says it isn't the "start time" that matters as far as prepping a perfect apology. He obviously didn't care about saying it, just that it got on air. It's when he realized it went live that matters. Maybe he knew that right away, I'm not sure.

[dlk9s]

If anyone is still on the fence about whether or not what Brennaman said was bad, note that Curt Schilling has come out in support of him.

[Underachiever]

I had to chuckle at the horrible phrasing of "the people who sign my paychecks". Just say Fox Sports Ohio or whatever. Don't telegraph your feelings on what you are truly afraid of losing.

 

This isn't meathead Mark Grace calling his wife a dingbat on the air. As others said earlier, he is a guy who grew up in the announcing world. The concept of a hot mic isn't new to him.

[homer]

I just want to say thanks to all the people in here not diminishing what he said as if it doesn't matter. Baseball seems at times like a pretty conservative sport, so I can get a little discouraged when stuff like this happens.

 

His apology was woefully insufficient, using the word in a workplace setting is enough to get fired, and the way he used it was a strong indicator of the way he thinks about the LGBTQ+ community. Hate speech has no place on the air, I hope this is the last we hear from this hateful prick who would rather sincerely apologize to his bosses than to the marginalized group that he verbally attacked.

 

Should be noted that a few Reds players went to Twitter after the game to offer support to the LGBTQ community.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

*Thom sees Curt Schilling stand up for him*

 

"Oh my god no, please sit down."

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Should be noted that a few Reds players went to Twitter after the game to offer support to the LGBTQ community.

 

This alone would never have happened 15, maybe 10 years ago. Within my conscious lifetime, we've had Jeremy Shockey say he wouldn't "stand for" a gay player in his locker room, to very little blow black, and Ken Griffey Jr. make headlines by saying a gay teammate wouldn't bother him.

[folly412]

Before someone bemoans "cancel culture", I'm 47 years old and I'm pretty sure this sort of thing gets you the axe in any decade after the 70s.

 

Plus this happened live last night. Not some tape dug up from 1995 or a tweet from 2011, and he's also not a 16 year old trying to be edgy. I doubt anyone wants to say that in the workplace, have all their customers overhear and test the consequences.

[bjkrautk]

Curious for those more in the know than myself: how is something this obviously offensive not censored out on a professional broadcast? I get that the whole point to a "hot mic" moment is that the production thinks the microphones are off....but isn't the person with the finger on the delay button listening to the outgoing audio?

 

I don't feel much need to trample on Mr. Brennaman's career; he did that well enough already.

[Underachiever]

Curious for those more in the know than myself: how is something this obviously offensive not censored out on a professional broadcast? I get that the whole point to a "hot mic" moment is that the production thinks the microphones are off....but isn't the person with the finger on the delay button listening to the outgoing audio?

 

I don't feel much need to trample on Mr. Brennaman's career; he did that well enough already.

Is a guy with a finger on the delay button even a thing in a baseball broadcast? And if the guy knew the mic was hot, wouldn't he have taken it down himself if he had that power? I don't think anyone was aware of it, and if you think the microphone is not hot, what would you be listening to?

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Curious for those more in the know than myself: how is something this obviously offensive not censored out on a professional broadcast? I get that the whole point to a "hot mic" moment is that the production thinks the microphones are off....but isn't the person with the finger on the delay button listening to the outgoing audio?

 

I don't feel much need to trample on Mr. Brennaman's career; he did that well enough already.

Is a guy with a finger on the delay button even a thing in a baseball broadcast? And if the guy knew the mic was hot, wouldn't he have taken it down himself if he had that power? I don't think anyone was aware of it, and if you think the microphone is not hot, what would you be listening to?

 

I didn't bring this up because I didn't want it to seem like misdirecting the blame, but someone was asleep at the wheel for this to go live, unless they hate TB and did it on purpose. Someone is watching/listening to the live feed the entire broadcast for this exact reason.

[owbc]

I didn't bring this up because I didn't want it to seem like misdirecting the blame, but someone was asleep at the wheel for this to go live, unless they hate TB and did it on purpose. Someone is watching/listening to the live feed the entire broadcast for this exact reason.

 

I had a similar thought--perhaps someone in the truck intentionally went live a bit early with the intention of catching one of Thom's comments on a hot mic. If so, they had one chance to get it right and they nailed it.

[tmwiese55]

Someone has also been sitting around letting this go on off camera for a while. Either joining (he was talking to someone there) in or at least letting it go on

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Someone has also been sitting around letting this go on off camera for a while. Either joining (he was talking to someone there) in or at least letting it go on

 

While this may be true, no 23 y/o PA is going to rat out Thom Brenneman to management. Maybe there is a culture of older folks there that participate with him, but I'm not gonna blame the $12/hr sound guy who got out of broadcast school last year. You just do the job and shut up; nobody would stand up to the talent.