‘Honest Mistake’: Meet the Fired ESPN Editor Behind the Controversial Jeremy Lin Headline
- Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:00pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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The ESPN employee who lost his job for posting the NBA headline “Chink in the Armor” is speaking out to say he apologizes to Jeremy Lin and anyone offended by his actions, but claims it was an “honest mistake” and not racially motivated.
The term in question, “Chink,” can be used not only to describe an infraction or crack on a surface, but also as a derogatory term for Asians comparable to the “N-word” for African-Americans. However its use in the colloquial phrase is not considered a racist remark.
Image source: Sports Grid
Anthony Federico, the now-former ESPN headline writer behind the controversy, told the New York Daily News that he was not trying to be “cute or punny” when he published the headline, and the 28-year-old editor said he has used the phrase “at least 100 times” over the years.
Federico told the Daily News that “ESPN did what they had to do,” and added that he was personally disappointed for possibly offending one of his heroes.
“Federico called Lin one of his heroes – not just because he’s a big Knicks fan, but because he feels a kinship with a fellow ‘outspoken Christian.’
‘My faith is my life,’ he said. ‘I’d love to tell Jeremy what happened and explain that this was an honest mistake.’”
The headline appeared on ESPN’s mobile website at 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, Federico’s last headline of his shift, and was removed by 3:05 a.m. “I had a career that I was proud of,” Federico said of his time at ESPN, which began as a temporary intern in 2006. “I’m devastated that I caused a firestorm.”
A ESPN anchor, Max Bretos, said the same slur on air Wednesday and has since been suspended for 30 days.
“My wife is Asian, would never intentionally say anything to disrespect her and that community,” Bretos said in a statement Saturday. “Despite intention, phrase was inappropriate in this context.”
The NBA phenom at the center of the story commented on the controversy Sunday, giving Federico and Bretos the benefit of the doubt.
“They’ve apologized, and so from my end, I don’t care anymore,” Lin said. “You have to learn to forgive, and I don’t even think that was intentional.”
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Comments (77)
ThoreauHD
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 3:44pmI read this headline and didn’t even notice what he was reprimanded for. I thought it was about basketball. Perhaps this is an example of liars not believing anyone else, and racists believing that they are not the root of the problem.
***** in the armor has nothing to do with asians. They wore silk armor. Europeans wore metal mail. See, I still don’t get it.
Report Post »Chuck Stein
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 3:58pmLooks like the Blaze censors are hard at work.
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 7:12pm.
Honest mistake? No way.
Pun? Sure.
But why is everyone in such a hurry to be offended?
Lin isn’t even offended, so give the guy his job back and move on.
Can the re-education camps be far behind?
Report Post »as_mad_as_hell
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 2:25amAs a conservative, I look on accusations of racism by or in the press with a jaundiced eye. Still, I don’t think this is an honest mistake as the author states. First, when was the last time you read or heard the expression “***** in the armor” in reference to sports (or in reference to anything else, for that matter?) Second, why use the expression at all? A “***** in the armor” is akin to the weakest link in a chain — it denotes a weak spot in something that is strong all the way around. In that light, how does it apply to the end of the Knicks’ winning streak? Perhaps I’m overly suspicious, but I’m not buying the “honest mistake” line. There is something more at work here, and I’ll be darned if I can figure it out.
Report Post »milez5
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:12amWhen he said that “ESPN did what they had to do,” that was enough for me. I would usually write at great length about how this was much ado about nothing, but if this man will not speak up for himself i will not try to speak for him.
Report Post »YouGottaProblemWithThat
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 3:09pmOh my, the thought police will soon be at your door. They know what you really meant. They know what you really are saying, They know what you are really trying to communicate.
bye bye miss american pie. hello comrade.
I never thought it would be hard to tell the difference in the USA and North Korea.
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 3:43pmOver-reaction, pc crazines, stupidity, a serious lack of english education, all apply. A“*****” in the wall, in the dam, in the armor, etc is part of our language. It wasn’t done with evil intent. Since when isn’t an honest apology enough? Have we really got this crazed, or is it just an excuse to act holier than thou? Ruin a man’s career? Insane. ESPN, get a grip.
Report Post »Chuck Stein
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 4:00pmReally? Since when are five asterisks in a row part of our language? :)
Report Post »Cosmic Ray
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 3:32pm***** is “comparable to the “N-word” for African-Americans.”
You kidding? It’s not even close. What a joke…
Report Post »goofyfoot2001
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 9:52pmI’m typing ***** and seeing if I actually get five stars from the staff of the blaze.
Report Post »panick
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 3:17pmIt’s obvious that ESPN is a bag full of reverse racists who have no common sense. Look at what they did to Rush Limbaugh’s brief sports announcer career. And he was dead on right about Donavan McNabb.
Here is a chance for Mr. Lin to rise above the stupidity, give the two editors the benefit of the doubt and show a strength of character that most lib*** Harvard grads don’t have these days. The athletes are still non lim*** aren’t they ? Its just the sports conmmentators on ESPN ;who never got picked until last choice in gym class who are the mushheads. Of course, Mr Federico and Bretos then ought to rethink their career paths and maybe go work for Fox Sports
Report Post »TROONORTH
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 3:15pmI commend him for being so colour blind. He used the words in the classic sense without malice because it just never occurred to him that there may have been anything racial about that headline. Leave it to the P.C. police to pounce on an innocent remark and make it into something it was not.
Isn’t it interesting that we have worked for years to make society colour blind and the very people who stand for that utopia are the first to condemn someone when it arrives. We all need to move on from this stupidity and stop taking umbrage at everyperceived slight.
Report Post »stratomaster
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 3:12pmOnce again the pc police strike. Ohhhhh nooooooooo someone may have been offended. I can care less whether the writer meant it to be cute or it was an honest mistake. Sick of people crying racism/
Of course you can call a white male anything you want as racism can not happen to whites. I’m sure Lin could care less about this. It’s blacks who pretend to be offended all the time so they can get free things. I’m adding espn to my list of channels to never watch. I used to be a huge sports fan, Of late I am sick of sports, its been destroyed by ghetto
Report Post »denispaul
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 8:13amThe only time i watch ESPN is when a game is playing.They opened up this can of worms so now they have to live with it.(HANK W. RUSH L.)
Report Post »mountainmover101
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 3:03pmThis is beyond ridiculous. Now if the guy had posted…What do you call 3 Mexicans, 1 Chinese and 5 blacks in a front yard? Then there may have been a slight problem.
It was also reported that similar comments were made by other guys and no outrage…but they were black guys…so it was ok for them to do it.
The hypocrisy rolls on.
Report Post »Wilbur Longshank
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 3:25pmI don’t know, What do you call 3 Mexicans, 1 Chinese and 5 blacks in a front yard??????????????
Report Post »TulsaYeeHaw
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 6:10pm1 Chinese- The boss
3 Mexicans – The hired
5 blacks – The fired
The boss, the hired, and the fired. With no crackers to blame.
Report Post »Caniac Steve
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:59pmwhat a croc of crapola this this..what’s next?? will it be uber offensive if say your mom yells out Oh sweet Jesus and some latino guy yells and calls her a racist?? oh please give the guy back his freaking job the left has slowly done this to curb abd restrict OUR free speech and tossed out “common Sense & Manners” with political Correctness…it’s a control thing by making us afraid to speak..try saying that some Mul;sim player..see if they don’t bring back “Crucifiction”
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:55pmYes .. it is the uneducated (even if they are “educated” they are ignorant) who don’t understand the meaning of words and phrases who are P.C.ing us to DEATH!
Report Post »Razorhunters
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:54pmLive Video: Troops March On White House In Support Of Ron Paul
Report Post »http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wearechange-live-from-nyc-world-trade-center-saturdays
TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 3:00pmLOL. I was wondering what happened to the cast of “Stripes.” Well now we know. Thank you!!
Report Post »Wilbur Longshank
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:47pmOpen letter to the Blaze staff.
Report Post »Yesterday I posted the meaning of the term “c.h.i.n.k in one’s armor” on the original story. The blaze censored the word c.h.i.n.k with that post I also said that this word could be used for many different reasons, and unless I know what’s inside this man’s heart I could not say if he used it in derogatory way.
I also said that he probably did not mean any malice by it. Well low and behold I was listening to 3 hours of your boss today you know Glen Beck and he elaborated on the story he said the guy has used this term at least 100 times in the past and didn’t think anything was wrong when using it about Lin.
So you the blaze are no better than the Obama regime who censors the American people.
You censored my post and from what I can see took it down from the original story.
I am glad your boss Glen beck has proven my first comments correct, and I will be awaiting a personal apology posted onto this story by you the blaze.
izukiddin
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:46pmThe use of “*****” was no mistake. These creative types are clever and creative. The writer and editor had an opportunity to get cute and entertain their cohorts and each other in the suite, and it backfired.
Report Post »hightide
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:48pmIt’s not a racist comment. It is a illegitimate phrase that has nothing to do with race.
Report Post »TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:57pmDitto. If people only knew half the “creative crap” that passes before their eyes and snuck into print and other media… TV (including cartoons for the kiddies), movies, and music. Sometimes they get caught and called on it… most of the time not.
Report Post »dmforman
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 3:39pmProblem is that you were educated in a government school and do not realize the first meaning of the word *****. It means a crack and began back in 1350-1400s, but most American‘s vocabularies are so limited that they wouldn’t know this.
These men should not have been fired or reprimanded in any way. They were not being derogatory to Mr. Lin. Americans need to really understand what racism is, as it is way over used in today’s society. Also, just listening to the announcer and the way that he used the word ***** will let you know what he was talking about even if you did not know it had negative connotations towards people of Chinese origin.
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 5:17pmYou got that right, IZUKIDDIN. I think ESPN used that phrase to demean Lin, who’s an out-front Christian. A little subliminal advertising, ala Tim Tebow. They got caught and called out on it.
Report Post »SHOWMESTATEGUY
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:45pmWe live in a PC world where even honest mistakes are punished. Let me correct myself. We live in a PC world where even honest mistakes made by whites are punished.
Report Post »Collbuzz
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 10:26pmGot that right! Shame.
Report Post »gpk
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:32pm704 Hauser St, Queens New York.
Report Post »Collbuzz
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 10:27pmArchie Bunker! Wow, great recall, and very true.
Report Post »The_Jerk
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:27pmThe Ebony Sports Promoting Network, ESPN, should have never fired this guy.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:48pmI agree .. there was NOTHING here!
Report Post »gpk
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:26pmEnough of this pc bullcrap: “sticks & stones will break by bones but names will never hurt me.” I guess I’m showing my age. Huh?
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:53pmWhy hasn’t Lin said anything? … why doesn‘t he come to this man’s defense? .. does he REALLY think this was wrong ?.. If he doesn’t speak out he has lost my respect .. I don’t care how well he plays!
Report Post »SistaTriscuit
Posted on February 21, 2012 at 7:43amCATB – Lin has stated that they apologized, he doesn’t care, & that he doesn’t even think it was intentional.
Report Post »Eric_The_Red_State
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:24pmEenie Meenie Miney Mo …..
Depending on how old you are – you will probably remember the rest as either a TIGER — or something else.
Yes – racism is deeply ingrained in our makeup.
HOWEVER – I don’t get the Blaze.
One article is talking about the END OF THE MONETARY SYSTEM AS WE KNOW IT and a recess into the DARK AGES because of corruption from the top to the bottom… and in the next breath – talking about some “Sports” thing.
HEY — YOUR HAIR IS ON FIRE AND YOU ARE BLEEDING ALL OVER….. what’s for lunch?
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:24pmI ate a ******* with my soup for lunch…the BLAZE censored it too..But it was a great tasting saltine.
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:29pmyou didn’t write cracka,or ******* white slurs are PC.
Report Post »deano24
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:32pmYou’re kidding? Right.
Report Post »dannyo
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:23pmdoesn’t this reporter know that he is only allowed ONE mistake in amerika, even if it was an honest mistake…you have to be a demokrat politician to get a sekond or third or fourth or fifth or…chance in the divided states of amerika under barhetoric insane obeyme, aka the reverend wright disciple..
Report Post »VoteRightDammit
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:17pmSo very over the top PC.
Do I believe the explanation? Course not. A headline writers’ JOB is double entendre.
But was this some disparaging, racial slur? Get a grip. The guy said nothing negativer about Chinese or any other ethnic group; simply used a term that has become unacceptable in our age of Nazi Political Correctness. And for that the guy was INSTANTLY fired?
wow. what a black eye for ESPN.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:26pmThe Hank Jr. black eye hasnt healed. Can theystill say black and work for ESPN?
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:33pmThe reporter should file a suit against ESPN. Having a ***** in your armor is a phrase dating back to the 14th century. Long before chinamen were called ****** for short.
Report Post »UBETHECHANGE
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:12pmThe Communists in our media and Government are winning this pc game! Take a stand against pc commie tactics! Common sense is being lost in this country! ESPN and ABC are ran by communists. Truth!
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:43pmPC-ism is Marxist to the core. It stifles free speech and “objectionable” opinion…Don’t give into it, it truly is a major step against FREE speech!
Report Post »TulsaYeeHaw
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 6:17pmYes, you were thrown in camps…..Until your thinking was “politically Correct.”
It came from the USSR.
Report Post »USPATRIOT101
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:11pmI love the comercial I’ve been seeing lately about racial slurs. Of course there were no white slurs mentioned. I love it when I get called *******, casper, pasy mother fu@ker, or gringo or many of the other terms spoken in spanish.
Report Post »NOT A CRAZY
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:11pmThe Liberal racist PC police strike again. It is funny that they always are the first to recognize something like this. The reason liberals are PC is because THEY are racist and then they feel bad about it. The term a “ch1nk in the armor” is a term that is as old as the earth. What next?
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:08pmIt’s okay Anthony, I’m called a racist, bigoted hate monger on a daily basis for having a Conservative opinion. Free speech FOR ALL will return [again] to this great nation under God!
Report Post »marhee9
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:06pmAlthough I hate all the political correctness going on right now, it‘s hard to believe these guys didn’t realize that the term was innapropriate at best. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMbxtBIQX-I
Report Post »HADEN0UGH
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:36pmThis is why our country is in the crapper.
Report Post »hightide
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 2:52pmIt’s not inappropriate. It’s an old saying that has nothing to do with race…
Report Post »dmforman
Posted on February 20, 2012 at 3:42pmThe term stems from the 1350-1400s and means a crack. If you were educated in a public school, you probably don’t know this. The way ***** was used wouldn’t make sense as a racial term in either case and the call for racism is nonsense. Those using the term racism need to look up the word and see what it means. Racism is an over used term these days and few even know what it means.
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