Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me the pleasure of presenting Ms. Maria Taylor, a multi-faceted TV Personality who recently announced the end of her time at ESPN in route to a potential signing with NBC that could potentially rival the likes of top reporters across the industry. Ms. Taylor is a decorated individual that has been a part of multiple projects like the SEC Network, ESPN College GameDay, College Football Playoff/ College Football Playoff National Championship, NBA Countdown and has even displayed her work on the highly touted stage of Monday Night Football. In an industry that is all about results, Ms. Taylor has more than produced her share in all aspects regardless of the assignment. She has been nothing but a statuesque example of what young women of color can be in an industry predominantly filled by men.
Operating at her level requires a great team in which Ms. Taylor is in great company with the likes of Elle Duncan, Cari Champion, Sage Steele, Doris Burke, Mina Kimes, and a catalog of other Female Sport Reporters and Personalities.
With all things considered, it’s crazy how people that are supposed to be on your team end up being your biggest rival. Enter Rachel Nichols.
Ms. Nichols is also a seasoned Reporter/ Personality on ESPN that has placed herself in the hot seat for simply being a hater. In a leaked conversation with longtime Los Angeles Laker Advisor Adam Mendelsohn, Ms. Nichols stated if not heavily implied that Ms. Taylor was being given a spot to host the 2020 NBA Finals because she is a woman of color and that the company needed to make up for its poor track record in diversity. As a result, she alleged that ESPN felt that pressure and used her career as a catalyst. These comments apparently stemmed from Nichols feeling as if her seat at the table was being threatened yet again and feared that there would be no definite ending to this pacifying of diverse inclusion.
As a result of her comments, Rachel Nichols was removed from her position as a sideline reporter for this year’s NBA Finals but was and currently is a host on The Jump, a daily show on the ESPN Network centered around professional basketball.
Some would say that a conglomerate such as ESPN should have and could still do more to demonstrate their intolerance of such comments thoroughly, but up to this very moment, that is all that came from it. To be fair, ESPN is majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, which we all know cast a wide net in terms of entertainment. In most cases, organizations of their size tend to sweep incidents they deem as “small” under the rug with an empty statement and a tax write-off they label a “Charitable Donation.” Nonetheless, that is where we are.
Maria Taylor has handled the entire situation with the utmost class and continued to separate herself as a standout rather than be tangled with those who obviously didn’t understand all that she brought and will continue to bring to the table. The latest speculation has all signs pointing toward Ms. Taylor joining NBC just in time to cover the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo then possibly continuing on to “Football Night in America.” For some reason, there has been a saying I heard growing up that’s been stuck in my mind lately, and I think I finally understand what it means, exactly how most parents draw it up.
“Don’t ask to go if you weren’t invited.” Simple right?
It reminds me of Fantasia Barrino’s, “If you don’t want me, then don’t talk to me.” Both statements are short, not so sweet, but to the point.
There is no justification as to why I, Ms. Taylor, or anyone for that matter has to ask for permission or prove themselves in the eyes of others. Maria Taylor has earned every opportunity that came her way and has done so exceptionally. She shined so bright that a colleague went out of her way to try and belittle her accomplishments by casting shade. In all honesty, when people open their mouths to talk about you solely for the sake of being bitter, it only solidifies your position that much more. Hater’s ‘gon hate, that’s what they do.
Situations like this have been happening since the beginning of time and sadly will continue to happen as long as people have hate in their hearts. For those that have been and will be in a similar positions to Ms. Taylor, please remember this if nothing else; you earned, it’s yours, go get it.
“During the dark times, I always remember that I am in this position to open doors and light the path that others walk down… I’ve taken some punches, but that just means I’m still in the fight. Remember to lift as you climb and always KEEP RISING.” – Maria Taylor (@MariaTaylor)
-Article Written By: Malcolm Anderson
Malcolm Anderson is a Cum Laude graduate of Reinhardt University. From the beginning of his education, the ideas of creativity and ever-expanding curiosity were instilled in him. He loves working with children and helping them believe that they can do anything they put their mind to, a lesson he was taught from an early age. Although his focus is on Sports Media, Malcolm has been writing for various mediums over the past few years and aims to expand his repertoire in an effort to reach as many people as possible.
