Sage Steele is single-handedly trying to prove that conservatives still have a place at ESPN.
During an appearance on "The Dan Patrick Show" Thursday, the admittedly "old school" Steele said ESPN viewers don't want to hear about the Charlottsvile riot on "SportsCenter," defended NFL owners for not signing Colin Kaepernick and declared that her network should stick to sports.
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Steele is a polarizing figure within and outside ESPN. Her appearance came days after ESPN became a national laughingstock for switching Asian-American announcer Robert Lee off the Virginia-William & Mary college football game in Charlottsville because he shares a name with Conferderate general Robert E. Lee.
After Clay Travis of "Outkick the Coverage" broke the news of the announcer switch, the Lee story went viral. ESPN received withering criticism virtually across the board, according to SportsBusiness Daily.
The blunder enabled ESPN's chief critics — such as Travis and Jason Whitlock of FS1 — to claim it proved the Worldwide Leader is run by pointy headed liberals so blinded by political correctness that they've lost touch with reality.
But there was Steele, the returning "SportsCenter: AM" anchor, firing off the kind of opinions to Patrick you're more likely to get on Fox News than MSNBC. But she also defended her network's actions in the Lee debacle. Highlights of her interview with Patrick, the great former ESPN anchor:
— On SportsCenter discussing the neo-Nazi rally in Virginia that left three dead and scores injured:
"I will always go back to why did people turn us on when Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann were hosting? And why are they turning us on now? In my opinion it is not to hear about Charlottsville. It's not."
— Are NFL owners such as Steve Bisciotti of the Ravens blackballing Kaepernick, who inspired a massive protest rally outside NFL HQ?:
"I disagree with the whole premise of the issue that people have. Steve Bisciotti, along with the other 31 owners in this league, they run a business. They have a right to make the decision that they believe is best for their business. Just like Colin Kaepernick has the right to express his opinion and do what's best for him, for his brand, for his career. There's repercussions to both. I have no problems with what Steve Bisciotti did. And I would have no problems if Steve Bisciotti had brought him in."
"Why do people turn into SportsCenter? In my opinion it is not to hear about Charlottesville." - Sage Steele on covering politics on ESPN
— Andrew Perloff (@andrewperloff) August 24, 2017
MORE: Kaepernick rally in NYC a powerful scene of unity
It's "comical" that people are "freaking out" over a backup QB, she said.
If Kaepernick were that good of a QB, he'd still be on the 49ers, she said. Or another team would have picked him up.
NFL teams also have to weigh whether signing Kaepernick is worth the distraction and potential financial hit they'll take from fans, suite holders and sponsors offended by his protest of the national anthem last season.
"They are business owners. They have a right," Steele said.
— On ESPN's frequent coverage and debate about Kaepernick:
Yes, Kaepernick deserves to be talked about, she said. But “not inccessantly, not every single day."
Similarly, Steele wasn't happy when ESPN obsessed about Tim Tebow (now a colleague at the network).
"Back in the day, however many years ago with Tebow, I didn’t want to talk about Tebow every day. And he’s a friend of mine," she said.
I'm sitting here blown away about the ESPN Robert Lee story. You can't make this shit up. Ron Burgundy is running ESPN.
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) August 23, 2017
— Should 'SportsCenter' cover politics and social issues as well as sports?
"When I turn on 'SportsCenter,' that’s not what I want to hear. As a viewer I want to see the highlights, I want to hear from (Dodgers pitcher) Rich Hill (who lost a no-hitter in the 10th inning). That’s what I want as a viewer. That's what I believe most viewers want when they turn to ESPN."
Starting Aug. 28, she and fellow "SportsCenter: AM" anchors Jay Harris and Randy Scott will offer some opinion. But the show will be about the athletes and the games, not themselves.
"We will have some opinions, the three of us. But I don't believe it's about us. It's about the games, it's about the highlights, it's about let's show some standings, let’s talk about what's coming up tonight. I’m just old, I guess. Old-school."
Nice work. Your publication essentially called me a Nazi. I figure we're even. https://t.co/LcWDVjx5Dl
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) August 24, 2017
So what about the Lee story?
Noting that she doesn't know all the facts, Steele still defended the move by ESPN's local TV team in Charlotte.
"This was more about Robert Lee being uncomfortable going on. Not ESPN. This is more about Robert Lee. Truly," she said.
ESPN president John Skipper also defended the decision in a memo — taking a veiled shot at Travis in the process. Wrote Skipper:
"There was never any concern -- by anyone, at any level -- that Robert Lee's name would offend anyone watching the Charlottesville game. Among our Charlotte production staff there was a question as to whether -- in these divisive times -- Robert’s assignment might create a distraction, or even worse, expose him to social hectoring and trolling. Since Robert was their primary concern, they consulted with him directly. He expressed some personal trepidation about the assignment and, when offered the chance to do the Youngstown State/Pitt game instead, opted for that game -- in part because he lives in Albany and would be able to get home to his family on Saturday evening. I’m disappointed that the good intentions of our Charlotte colleagues have been intentionally hijacked by someone with a personal agenda, and sincerely appreciate Robert’s personal input and professionalism throughout this episode”
