Add Mike Milbury to the list.
He has been canceled because of a completely innocuous remark he made while working as an analyst during Thursday night’s NBC telecast of the Islanders-Capitals game.
Analyst Brian Boucher said this about the NHL’s bubble, which, by the way, might have played a part in some good teams playing as though they couldn’t wait to get out: “If you think about it, it’s a terrific environment with regard to — if you enjoy being with your teammates for long periods of time, it’s a perfect place.”
Milbury added, “Not even any women here to disrupt your concentration.”
Only someone who wakes up every morning with the fervent hope that somebody will offend them could be offended by that.
Unfortunately, there are millions of people out there who wake up every morning with that exact hope.
Milbury was accused of diminishing all women to a disruption or a distraction.
The NHL, of course, fearing the wrath of the easily offended, released a statement: “The National Hockey League condemns the insensitive and insulting comment that Mike Milbury made during last night’s broadcast and we have communicated our feelings to NBC. The comment did not reflect the NHL’s values and commitment to making our game more inclusive and welcoming to all.”
Condemn? Pretty strong word. Did that comment actually rise to the level of deserving condemnation?
NBC Sports said in a statement: “We’re disappointed about Mike’s insensitive comment and have addressed it with him.”
Milbury, of course, felt the need to apologize: “I sincerely apologize for making the comment. It was not my intention to disrespect anyone. I was trying to be irreverent and took it a step too far. It was a regrettable mistake that I take seriously.”
Milbury since has said he decided to step away from the rest of the Stanley Cup playoffs coverage so as not to be a “distraction.”
Milbury is a former NHL player, coach and general manager. That’s why he is employed by NBC as an analyst. Boucher made a comment about the atmosphere and working conditions of the bubble. Milbury knows what hockey players in their 20s and early 30s are like.
To suggest his comment was meant to reduce all women to a disruption or a distraction as some, including The Athletic’s Katie Strang, have done is either astoundingly stupid or dishonest. Maybe both.
Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s “First Take,” called on the NBA to allow conjugal visits to the NBA bubble, “I would strongly advise the NBA to facilitate that happening before August 31, not after. Just one person, it would go a long way.”
He hasn’t been fired yet. No apologies, either.
It would have been nice if the NHL and/or NBC had responded with something like this: “We’ve been made aware that some people may have taken Mike Milbury’s comments the wrong way. We realize he meant no disrespect and was in no way diminishing women.”
Or better yet, they could have ignored the idiotic and forced outrage and said nothing. But that would have required common sense and guts.
There’s not lot of either going around these days.
