08-25-2017, 11:42 AM
(08-25-2017, 11:40 AM)PhilHos Wrote: It's not always about the pressure that company puts on the employee. Many times its the pressure (real or imagined) felt by the employee. I've worked in many a job where there was no threat or intimdation by the supervisors and I felt free to share my opinions yet in those same places I had coworkers who were afriad to speak up because they felt some some sort of intimidation from the same supervisors who I felt were perfectly reasonable.
Based on how it's been reported, my understanding is more like ESPN felt that it'd be best to remove him but asked if he woudl be okay with the switch and, of course, he was. I base this on the reports that ESPN, not Lee, was worried about all the memes and internet trolling that would result from having Robert Lee call a game in Virginia.
Fair, I still contend it was presented as a question of his feelings on the subject. I do agree though that some peoples assumption of what they think are supposed to do in situations can do self inflicted damage.
This was from SI. They statement makes it sound like they were appeasing him, but only the people in the room will really ever know.
ESPN later issued additional comments, first to Yashar Ali of New York Magazine and then to other outlets: “No biggie until someone leaked it to embarrass us,” said an ESPN PR spokesperson. “They got their way. That’s what happened. No politically correct efforts. No race issues. Just trying to be supportive of a young guy who felt it best to avoid the potential zoo.”
