Friday, October 9, 2015

Celebrating all women who talk sports...

It's so cool to me that women are showing up in sports broadcasting more than ever recently. Though we've been here for a while. You just might not have seen us, since the late 80's actually. I'm grateful it's happening! Sometimes I get bummed that it's now rather than when I started out in this business nearly 30 years ago. I am celebrating today, the fact that women are finally being noticed and getting a chance to talk sports in every medium. First, years ago, it was okay for women to write about sports, then TV sideline reporters started appearing more often, and later studio hosts/anchors were tolerated. Unfortunately, radio is moving a little more sloooooowly than the others. I am enjoying seeing these women succeed, hearing strong knowledgeable opinions and witnessing men accepting us a bit more. I hate to say, it's not exactly what I'd like it to look like, but it's a start, better than no movement at all. I guess my mom was right when she said I was ahead of my time. Today, I woke up thinking about these women, and it's cool how our sisterhood is growing. Women will support each other, we have that to keep us going. We will encourage each other to push through the bad moments. We lift each other up and can congratulate one another for our accomplishments. I am proud to be doing this 26+ years later. I'm enjoying interacting with all of the women out there who are working in this business around the country. The positive outweighs the negative...most of the time. While we celebrated Jessica Mendoza doing a playoff game, others looked to criticize her. But, to most of us the insults are normal, but sometimes it gets pretty darn ugly! Sports Anchor Julie DiCaro in Chicago writes: “When it comes to sports, women are big targets for abuse because the resentment is two-fold. Some resent us for our confidence and beliefs. But there also is an added resentment because we are supposedly infiltrating a space that has been decidedly male. There are some men who don’t want to share that space, because our presence changes that dynamic. Suddenly they have to be 'civilized.' It’s no longer a no-holds barred environment. Because women are not only present in sports, we’re demanding something from them. We’re demanding respect, and some just don’t like it. There’s no reason that I—and the thousands of other women in the field—should have to tolerate things online that no one would ever accept off it." DiCaro, a former attorney who is currently a writer for The Cauldron and an anchor for Chicago sports radio station 670 The Score. Check out her entire article, it does contain a bunch of vulgar words, just sayin'. www.si.com/cauldron/2015/09/27/twitter-threats-vile-remarks-women-sports-journalists. Instead of wallow in the negative and yucky stuff, today I toast so many successful women in the world of sports media... Cheers to DiCaro, Jessica Mendoza, Amy Lawrence, Christine Lisi, The Fabulous Sports Babe, Spain & Prim, Shelley Smith, Peggy Kuzinski, Shireen Saski Starman, Elise Woodward, Shannon Drayer, Kimberley Martin, Jessamyn McIntyre, Suzyn Waldman, Katie Nolan, Jamele Hill, the list is long, and that is the AWESOME part!!!!